In May, the Greene County Career & Technology Center’s Joint Operating Committee voted to authorize Executive Director Mark Krupa and Superintendent of Record Brandon Robinson to take all actions necessary to close the License Practical Nursing program by June 26.
This closure will occur in the middle of the four currently enrolled students’ program, which was scheduled to be completed in October.
The 12-month training program for adult students puts them through three levels of training, at the end of which they take the Licensure Examination. By June 26, the students will have completed the second level.
The committee also ratified a “teach-out” agreement between the Greene County CTC and the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute that would allow students to continue the program there. Krupa said Greene CTC was also working with two other programs in the area to allow for transfers.
Both votes were 3-2, with Janet Pennington and Betty Jo Black voting against the move. Those voting for the closure were Wayne Knisely, Robert Mitchell, and Lewis May.
Administrators said they are seeking outside funding to extend the program to allow the current class of four students to finish at Greene. Krupa said it would cost slightly more than $100,000 to cover the shortfall and continue the program through October.
Krupa explained the CTC has discussed closing the program for the past two years due to continued low enrollment. Graduating classes were as high as 28 as recently as 2014, then fell into the teens and single digits.
Funding comes from student tuition, rather than from local districts, Krupa said. “If you don’t have the students, you don’t have the tuition. At the same time, operating costs from wages, health insurance and pensions have gone up significantly, making keeping the program no longer feasible.”
The four students and their instructors who were affected were understandably upset and voiced their objections at the committee meeting. They pointed out what they felt was lack of sufficient notice and transparency in the closing process.
It is an unfortunate circumstance that we hope everyone can sympathize with and that a fair and equitable solution can be achieved.
However, this situation is emblematic of a larger issue, considering the country is facing a major nursing shortage that affects nearly every area of healthcare, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and schools.
While much public attention focuses on Registered Nurses, there is also a growing shortage of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The shortage has serious implications for the overall stability of the healthcare system.
Without increased funding for recruitment, educational opportunities and workplace benefits for these indispensable people, our already troubled rural hospitals will cease to exist as we know them.
The nursing shortage developed over many years due to a combination of demographic changes, workplace stress, educational limitations, and increased demand. One of the largest causes is the aging population in the United States. As millions of Americans grow older, they require more care for chronic illnesses.
Older adults also require long-term services in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and home healthcare settings. At the same time, many experienced nurses are nearing retirement age themselves, reducing the size of the workforce just as demand for care increases.
Another major factor is burnout. Nurses experienced extraordinary stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many left the profession afterward. Long shifts, emotional exhaustion, understaffing, workplace violence, and mandatory overtime contributed to dissatisfaction among nurses.
Unfortunately, surveys show that many nurses intend to leave bedside care within the next several years because of unsafe staffing ratios and poor working conditions.
Educational bottlenecks also contribute heavily to the shortage. Nursing schools across the country struggle to expand enrollment because they lack faculty, space, and clinical placements for students. This limits the number of new nurses entering the profession despite strong interest in nursing careers.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 189,000 RN job openings annually due to both new demand and replacement needs. Rural communities and urban areas are particularly vulnerable because they already struggle to recruit healthcare professionals.
Moreover, the role of Licensed Practical Nurses is increasingly important in understanding the broader nursing workforce crisis. LPNs provide basic nursing care. Their duties often include monitoring vital signs, administering medications, assisting with daily activities, collecting samples, documenting care, and supporting patient comfort.
Recently, many healthcare organizations have begun relying more heavily on LPNs because of continuing RN shortages. Some hospitals have reintroduced LPNs into medical-surgical units and long-term care settings to stabilize staffing levels.
Federal workforce projections indicate that demand for LPNs is expected to exceed supply substantially in the coming years. Long-term care facilities rely heavily on LPNs, and the aging population is dramatically increasing demand for these services.
Nursing homes already face major staffing challenges, especially in rural communities. In addition, LPNs are often paid far less than RNs despite facing physically and emotionally demanding work environments. This can make recruitment and retention difficult.
The shortage also affects healthcare economics. Healthcare systems increasingly rely on temporary staffing agencies and travel nurses to fill vacancies, which significantly increases labor costs. Some facilities close units or reduce services because they cannot safely staff them.
Patients will experience longer wait times, reduced access to care, and overcrowded emergency departments. In nursing homes, shortages will lead to delayed assistance for residents, medication errors, and lower overall quality of care.
Addressing the nursing shortage will require long-term solutions. Governments and healthcare organizations need to provide scholarships, loan forgiveness, and incentives for nurse educators to help expand training programs.
Improving workplace conditions is equally important. Better staffing ratios, higher wages, and safer work environments would encourage more nurses to remain. Expanding career pathways for LPNs and supporting bridge programs from LPN to RN may also strengthen the workforce.
In previous issues, we have already discussed the emergency healthcare desert affecting our area. Without a sustained, holistic long-term solution to recruiting and maintaining nurses, our healthcare infrastructure will continue to crumble around us.
