Santa Monica College has received a $1.09 million grant to help nursing students – particularly those at risk of failing – complete the college’s education program and pass the state licensing exam.
SMC is among 19 California community colleges to receive grant awards through Govermor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Nurse Education initiative. Altogether, $30 million was awarded to community colleges statewide in an effort to address a significant nursing shortage throughout California.
“I’m very excited about this grant award. These funds will allow us to get students the additional support they need to get through our very demanding program and a rigorous state licensing exam,” said Ida Danzey, assistant dean of health sciences.
Danzey said that while SMC’s nursing students who get through the program have a high pass rate on the state licensing exam – about 88 percent – the program also has an attrition rate, about 22 percent, that is higher than the department’s benchmark.
There are about 150 students currently in the SMC nursing program.
The college will use the funds to provide tutoring for students, additional counseling, and a nursing education specialist who will assist students in the clinical labs and in nursing simulation exercises, as well as the state registered nurse licensing exam for first-time takers and repeaters, she said.The grant that SMC received is called Fostering Student Success.
