ROANOKE, Va.- – Carilion Clinic is helping to send employees back to school, including nurses who want to take their medical career a step further.
Carilion has added two new scholarships for licensed practical nurses who want to go back to school to become registered nurses. Scholarships were just given to the first two recipients.
"They're going to be opening new doors for their careers down the line, which is which is exciting," said Meg Scheaffel, vice president and chief nursing officer for Carilion Clinic.
Scheaffel says they are invested in the professional growth of their employees. The scholarships help Carilion invest in its current staff.
"With our economic growth and individuals trying to balance all of their bills they have to pay, [it] is really important for us to be able to support our employees to go back to school. We offer generous reimbursement packages; however, for some people, that's not enough," said Scheaffel.
She also says this speaks to the nursing shortage nationwide. Carilion is always trying to be creative to attract nurses to fill current job openings.
"We recently developed an LPN tech role to encourage LPN(s) to come to work at acute care and go back to school within 15 months and this scholarship is just yet another support system to have to go back to school," she said.
The two scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis with amounts ranging from $5,000 to $6,000.
Babe and Sydney Louis Hyatt Scholarships Fund-Any student with a sincere interest in becoming a nurse.
Amount: $5,000
Winner: Kourtney Buchanan (RMH, 9S PCU)
Doris and Lynn Morris Scholarship Fund-For any students with a sincere interest in becoming a nurse
Amount: $6,000
Winner: Natashia Davis (Tazewell, Med/Surg)
Carilion Clinic is having a career fair for those interested in a nursing career. It will be Thursday, Jan. 31, 5-8 p.m, at Big Lick Brewing Co., 409 Salem Ave. SW, Roanoke.