Efforts Underway to Address Healthcare Workforce Shortages

It’s been one year since the New Hanover Community Endowment awarded UNC Wilmington’s College of Health and Human Services, Cape Fear Community College, New Hanover County Schools, and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce $22.3 million to address critical healthcare workforce shortages in our region.  

Since then, our collaborative group, the New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership, has been establishing pathways to healthcare professions to enhance nursing education and support services as well as retain the current and future workforce. The following are a few initiatives underway that are already making a difference. 

The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) at UNC Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) implemented “Try Teal” in the summer of 2024. This partnership gives CFCC Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) students the opportunity to begin their journey toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Through “Try Teal,” CFCC ADN students can enroll in two Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN courses at UNCW without tuition or fees, saving students over $1,200. All course-related costs, including textbooks, are also covered. These online courses are part of UNCW's accelerated RN to BSN program, designed to accommodate the needs of working adults. Upon successful completion, students are conditionally admitted to UNCW's program, streamlining the path to advanced nursing education while significantly reducing time to completion and overall cost of the degree. 

To date, more than 30 students have been admitted in our inaugural year and advising meetings are routinely conducted for candidates to determine eligibility and optimal registration dates.

Another UNCW/CFCC partnership program is the Coastal Community Healthcare Fellowship launched in January 2025. This program brings together CFCC and UNCW nursing students in a living/learning community that will retain graduates to New Hanover County by providing scholarships then aid in post-graduation support. The model will support students’ transition to their desired healthcare profession by offering housing stipends and financial, social, and emotional support for two years beyond graduation. By creating this community of students and young professionals, cohort members will learn from and support each other. This community of support helps them provide exceptional care to their patients, thus enhancing the community’s overall health and wellness. Leneice Rice serves as the Fellowship’s program manager and is responsible for developing the personal and professional experiences of the CFCC and UNCW fellows. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is assisting in the planning phase of cohort housing.

In June, the College of Health and Human Services will offer its inaugural Interdisciplinary Health Professions Summer Summit (iHPSS). This is a free two-week day camp for rising tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students in New Hanover County. At iHPSS, students will receive lecture and lab time with faculty and community partners to learn about health science careers and what it means to work with other members of the healthcare community for whole patient care. Students will learn about health disciplines, receive hands-on learning experiences, and participate in case-study discussions that demonstrate how different professions work together for the advancement of patient health. To address technological barriers, laptops have been purchased for each camper to use during camp. 

New Hanover County Schools (NHCS) has established a Health Science Academy Program, focusing on students in grades eight through twelve. This program offers extensive career exploration opportunities in the healthcare sector. A Health Science Academy Coordinator will lead recruitment and implementation efforts. This individual will teach nurse aide courses at two schools and will have an additional planning period to facilitate various academy events and activities. These activities include guest speakers, industry tours, college tours, job shadowing, and work-based learning experiences. This program aims to provide students with a robust understanding of healthcare careers and the skills necessary to pursue them.

Eighth grade information sessions are in progress at the middle schools and parent information nights are scheduled for February 2025. NHCS also established an advisory committee with representatives from UNCW and CFCC to provide feedback and input to the academy and alignment of the program with post-secondary opportunities at both institutions. Additionally, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Career and Leadership Development Academy will allow seventh grade students to gain exposure to area career pathway information via visits and programs. This work will promote a pipeline of students into the health academies and other pathway and pipeline programs associated with this grant.

These initiatives, powered by the New Hanover Community Endowment, emphasize recruiting and training new professionals who will not only address immediate shortages but will build – and maintain – a resilient healthcare workforce prepared to meet future growth and demand. Together we make a difference! 
 

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Jack C. Watson, Ph.D., is the dean of the College of Health and Human Services at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, named in June 2023. In May 2023, he completed a year-long fellowship with the American Council on Education at the University of Kentucky. From 2019-22 he served as dean of West Virginia University’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and previously served as associate dean, assistant dean and chair of the Department of Sport Sciences. Watson earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Sport Psychology and post-doctoral respecialization in Counseling and School Psychology from Florida State University. He received a Master of Science in Sport Behavior from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia.

The College of Health and Human Services was established in 2010 as a doorway for the University of North Carolina Wilmington to make a positive impact on the health and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities in Southeastern North Carolina and beyond. It has approximately 227 permanent staff and faculty and currently enrolls approximately 4,400 undergraduate and graduate students in 18 degree programs. To learn more about the College of Health and Human Services, please visit uncw.edu/chhs. Questions and comments can be sent to [email protected].