July 31, 2023 – Idaho State University and Kootenai Health have partnered in an effort to address the ongoing critical nursing shortage in North Idaho.
This partnership allows North Idaho students completing ISU’s online Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing program to complete their required clinical experiences at Kootenai Health facilities in the Coeur d’Alene area. ISU has reserved 10 seats in its 12-month online ABSN program for Coeur d’Alene area students during the partnership’s first year, with intentions to grow to meet additional demand. ISU’s online ABSN program currently offers up to 50 seats a year for students in the Treasure Valley/Meridian area and 40 seats a year to students in the Pocatello/Idaho Falls region, with local clinical experiences available in these areas, as well. Following completion of prerequisite courses, students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline are eligible to enter the online ABSN program, receiving accelerated education and training to become a nurse.
The collaboration between ISU and Kootenai Health addresses a growing demand across the state and the nation for nurses graduating with a baccalaureate degree — nurses who are prepared to take the required exam, called the National Council Licensure Exam (NCEX-RN), and move into practice as a registered nurse.
More registered nurses are needed to support staffing and safe patient outcomes across clinical settings, and baccalaureate prepared nurses are in high demand in Idaho. Employers across Idaho’s rural areas have experienced difficulty filling vacant positions because of significant nursing shortages in the state, and in the nation. Temporary, traveling nurses have been increasingly hired to fill nursing shortages in Idaho.