Creating Agents of Change: The SCF Nursing Program

By Kaileia Suvannamaccha | January 2024

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Every single person in the community is going to need a great nurse at some point in their life,” Laura Cochardo, MSN, RN, CHPN, instructional faculty member, and Level 2 Lead of the Nursing program at State College of Florida (SCF) reminds us. 

With a rigorous curriculum and robust support system, the SCF Nursing program remains a critical contributor to mitigating the national shortage of healthcare professionals by supplying the local community with highly skilled and dedicated nurses.

A Culture of Competency and Compassion

SCF Nursing graduates achieve some of the highest pass rates of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in the country. The program aims to nurture competent and compassionate professionals, who not only excel in an academic setting, but also adapt and persevere in the face of a complex and ever-changing healthcare landscape.

“When the ultimate goal is to become a competent registered nurse, I wanted to find a program that would provide me with an education that was not only going to guarantee my success at passing the NCLEX exam, but also a program that was cost-effective,” says Chelsea Ritchie, a passionate soon-to-be graduate of SCF’s RN-BSN program, and former President of the Student Nurses Association (SNA), attesting to the program’s efficacy. 

Chelsea, who graduated from the ASN-RN program in May, is already working as a registered nurse in an emergency room (ER) department. She takes immense pride in her SCF education, expressing how well-prepared she feels to make a meaningful impact in her chosen field. She claims her confidence in navigating the fast-paced environment of the ER is a direct result of the program’s emphasis on real-world preparedness.

“It is a rigorous program,” she says. “It breaks you down and builds you up all at the same time. It’s a tough career choice, but it’s beyond rewarding.”

From a faculty point of view, Laura adds, “We try to role model flexibility and resilience. In healthcare, everything changes all the time, so we need our nurses to be flexible in order to take care of patients exactly where they’re at. Not where we expect them to be, not where they should be, but where they actually are.” 

Multiple Pathways to Success

Diverse as they are inclusive, the range of trajectories at SCF ensure that everyone, regardless of their starting point, has an opportunity to pursue a fulfilling and successful nursing career.

From the Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN) Program, which equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to pass the NCLEX and become registered nurses, to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) Fast Track Program, for students aspiring to attain a higher level of education at an accelerated rate, SCF sets a high standard for academic excellence. 

“Through our ASN Program, 100% of graduates have been employed within six months after graduation,” Laura recalls reading on the Nursing page of the SCF website. 

“You get asked on the floors while you’re still in school, ‘Do you want to sign right now? Here’s a contract. Let’s go,’” Chelsea remarks, reflecting on her experience as an intern.

“Employers are waiting, and they love hearing that you graduated from SCF,” affirms Laura.

Specialized programs like the Student Nurses Association (SNA) and the Clinical Internship Program (CIP) offer additional avenues for students to excel and specialize in their chosen areas. 

SCF also provides a seamless transition for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) through its LPN to RN Program. 

By providing multiple pathways to success, SCF demonstrates its commitment to fostering a healthcare workforce that is not only well-trained but also reflective of the diverse backgrounds and aspirations of its student body.

A Collaborative Approach 

The symbiotic relationship between SCF Nursing and the greater Sarasota community plays a key part in its ongoing success. Generous donor contributions underscore the community’s recognition of the program’s importance. 

“Our nurses go into the healthcare facilities, hospitals, doctor’s offices, etc. and serve as interns where they’re getting experiential learning. And it’s cost-saving to the healthcare practice. Money comes in, people go out,” says Cassandra Holmes, Executive Director of the SCF Foundation.

Financial support consists of three key segments: individuals, organizations, and foundations. The Nursing program at SCF receives extensive support from individual donors, numbering in the hundreds, who regularly contribute to scholarships and programmatic needs, forming a solid financial foundation. On top of that, organizational donors, including hospitals, healthcare businesses, and community enterprises, form a collaborative front that further bolsters resources.

The impact of a donor’s contribution to a scholarship at SCF exceeds that of typical universities, given the program’s commitment to affordable education. 

“We haven’t raised tuition in 13 years,” Cassandra notes. “For the same amount of money that you can pay for one class for a student at another school, you can pay for an entire semester or an entire year of classes here at the State College of Florida.” 

Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Manatee Community Foundation, and Bishop Parker Foundation, to name only a few, play a pivotal role in providing essential financial backing. Their contributions, along with many others, sustain various aspects of the program, ranging from scholarships to acquiring state-of-the-art educational tools like AI mannequins for the simulation center.

“The AI mannequins are one of a kind. They have entire conversations with students without requiring someone behind the scenes speaking through a microphone. Having them is educationally life-changing in the sense that you can communicate with them as you would an actual patient,” Chelsea remarks. 

“Being a full scholarship recipient, I am appreciative to the local hospitals and individual donors for their generosity, not only for myself, but for the Nursing program as well. Without their support, many students would not be able to attain the level of education and clinical experiences that SCF provides.”

The Nursing program is actively seeking volunteers to act as loved ones for an additional kind of support. Volunteers are crucial for enhancing experiential learning during clinical shifts. “What we need are people that would act like family members so that our nurses know how to deal with a distraught mother when their child has been in a bus accident,” says Robyn Bell, DMA, Director of Advancement, emphasizing the importance of this fourth segment of community support, to further elevate the quality of Nursing education at SCF.

Coming Full Circle

Community support not only ensures the program’s financial health but also emphasizes the sustainable relationship between the Nursing program and the community it serves.

A significant portion of the Nursing workforce in the Sarasota County area is comprised of proud SCF graduates, making apparent the program’s enduring impact, both on the local healthcare landscape as well as on the individuals who choose to use their acquired skills to give back to the community. 

“SCF sits at the intersection of quality and affordability,” says Laura. “Everybody’s there because they want to serve other people and help them through the most difficult parts of their life.”

“There’s a culture that’s been established here through the faculty and staff, then that goes to the students, who go out into the workforce, and take that culture with them in the ways that they care for their patients,” adds Robyn. 

“We’re really trying to change the way that future nurses view nursing,” Chelsea emphasizes. “This program has changed me as a person, and I now live everyday thinking ‘How can I change just one person’s perspective on nursing?’ Because it’s needed, and I want to be that change agent.”

“It’s truly a calling,” adds Laura, who left her leadership position at a healthcare organization to teach Nursing education. “You are selflessly giving to others. It’s long shifts, it’s critical thinking, and it’s a lot of emotional investment in other people.” 

More than an educational institution, the SCF Nursing program is a family of compassionate and qualified individuals who contribute to the evolution and elevation of healthcare standards in Sarasota and beyond. 

For more information on how you can support the outstanding students at SCF, please contact State
College of Florida Foundation at scf-foundation.org or call 941-752-5390.