As the need for healthcare workers is expected to grow, Wright State University and Premier Health are finding success in building up and retaining the nursing workforce with resources developed through the two organizations’ partnership.
Wright State and Premier Health, which have a 30-year affiliation agreement, are providing affordable pathways and hands-on experience for those in their Nursing Academy, according to a university press release.
The program provides eligible nursing students with up to $8,000 in annual tuition assistance from Premier Health. Combined with Wright State scholarships and available federal and state financial aid, the support helps earning a nursing degree more accessible, according to the university, helping students complete their degrees and get a direct pathway to employment in the region.
“Affordability is a key consideration for many students and families when making decisions about higher education,” said Bethany DeLong, director of enrollment and retention in the College of Health, Education, and Human Services at Wright State. “The financial support provided by these programs makes pursuing a nursing degree more accessible and helps students see a career in healthcare as an achievable goal.”
Workforce retention
Students in Wright State’s Nursing Academy complete the same academic curriculum as other nursing students while working as paid, part-time Premier Health employees. This experience helps students become familiar with a professional healthcare setting, develop connections with care teams, and explore various nursing specialties, according to the university.
Students also learn about career opportunities available across Premier Health’s network of facilities and locations.
“By connecting students with meaningful healthcare experiences early in their academic journey, Premier is able to develop and retain this talent while helping address critical workforce needs across our organization,” said Mallon Briggerman, workforce and talent development business partner at Premier Health.
The Nursing Academy has demonstrated early success in local workforce retention, according to the university. Of 13 students from Wright State’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program who have completed the academy, 10 are currently employed at Premier Health.
There are nearly 3.4 million registered nurses working in the U.S. in 2024, the most recent year of data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau is projecting employment of nurses to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than the average for all occupations.
About 189,100 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade, according to the bureau. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
‘Remaining in the Dayton area … was extremely important to me’
For nursing students who wanted to stay in the region after graduating, the Nursing Academy was a foot in the door for them.
“Remaining in the Dayton area to serve this community was extremely important to me,” said Lillian Currey, a 2026 Wright State graduate. She is employed as a new graduate nurse in the emergency department at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown.
“I also wanted to begin my nursing career with an organization where I could continue learning, gain experience, and be encouraged to grow both personally and professionally,” said Currey.
By working at Premier Health through the program, Currey became familiar with their environment, equipment, workflows and patient interactions, while also building confidence and developing relationships, she said.
“With support from my managers, encouragement to pursue professional development and being advocated for as both a student and a professional, I saw how Premier invests in their employees’ growth and development,” Currey said.
Financial support relieves burdens
Premier Health’s tuition assistance also shows the organization is actively supporting the next generation of nurses in their career goals, Currey said.
“As someone who has paid for their own education, the program significantly reduced my financial burden. Looking back, if the academy had existed when I first began at Wright State, I would have graduated debt-free,” Currey said.
Read the full article at daytondailynews.com.
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