Mayo Clinic and the nursing program at Florida State College at Jacksonville are creating a dedicated education unit to train students working toward an associate degree in nursing, helping to fill a critical shortage of nurses.
A first for Mayo Clinic in Florida, the unit was started through a collaboration between its administrators and educators and counterparts at FSCJ, joining clinical staff in Jacksonville and Rochester, Minnesota.
Six experienced registered nurses will serve as clinical teachers, working with students to advance their skills and knowledge for future employment, FSCJ said.
“This training collaboration will provide development opportunities for our experienced nurses to teach and to build the skills of future nurses,” said Tera Gross, chief nursing officer for Mayo Clinic in Florida.
The announcement comes a month after Mayo said it was partnering with Jacksonville University to expand the university's accelerated bachelor's degree program in nursing. JU said the addition of Mayo as a clinical partner would help meet the growing need for nurses in Florida and across the U.S.
At FSCJ, students will follow the schedule of a certified nurse technician, working days, nights and weekends to fulfill the required 60 hours.
Students are responsible for developing goals to guide them throughout the program and during each shift.
“Our institutional goal is that these students will leave our program more prepared and confident in their abilities, thanks to the training and mentorship we know they will receive from the top-notch professionals at Mayo Clinic,” said Dean of Nursing Dr. Linda Roy.
Sixteen students will start the inaugural program this spring at Mayo Clinic’s medical- surgical unit, which also cares for patients with neurologic and orthopedic conditions.
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