FORT PIERCE, FL—Indian River State College (IRSC) has received a $1,942,959 award from the Florida Department of Education as part of the Florida College System (FCS) PIPELINE (Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education) program. PIPELINE funding rewards performance and excellence among nursing education programs at Florida College System Institutions and school district postsecondary technical career centers.
“This award is an investment in the faculty and staff of the IRSC School of Nursing who go above and beyond to train our local workforce,” said IRSC President Dr. Timothy Moore. “It is their commitment to excellence in student learning that delivers dramatic results and attracts public and private support for our programs.”
Performance funds are based on the following criteria: the number of nursing education program completers, the first-time NCLEX passage rates, and excellence among nursing education programs with an average first-time NCLEX passage rate above the national average.
“The Indian River State College School of Nursing has a long history of excellence and innovation,” shares Dr. Patricia Gagliano, Dean of the IRSC School of Nursing. “Faculty go above and beyond the traditional learning experience by engaging students through cutting-edge technology in the classroom and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a result, IRSC student success rates regularly exceed state and national averages for licensure.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has designated PIPELINE funds to help mitigate the statewide nursing shortfall. IRSC will expend funds to increase the capacity of high-quality nursing education programs and increase the number of nursing education program graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce. Treasure Coast hospitals employ over 80% of IRSC Nursing program graduates; 90% of IRSC School of Nursing graduates stay in the Treasure Coast community.
“We are committed to achieving Governor DeSantis’ goal to make Florida the number one state for workforce education by 2030,” continues President Moore.
This Fall, the IRSC School of Nursing moves to new facilities at the College’s Pruitt Campus in Port St. Lucie. The project significantly expands learning environments for students enrolled in IRSC Nursing programs. The new spaces include state-of-the-art nursing classrooms and simulated clinical settings.
