Cheshire Medical Center (Cheshire), a member of Dartmouth Health, is celebrating the success of a partnership with New England College (NEC) designed to address healthcare workforce shortages while creating new opportunities for aspiring nurses in the Monadnock Region.
The partnership with NEC was announced in December 2023 as a way to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce by creating a direct pathway from the classroom to a clinical setting. The first cohort of students began clinical placements at Cheshire in May of 2024, working as licensed nursing assistants (LNAs) while earning credits towards their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees.
Now, many of those same students are staying with Cheshire and the broader Dartmouth Health system after graduation, including:
· Grace Bannon -- Cheshire Medical Center, medical-surgical
· Sarah Blum – Cheshire Medical Center, medical-surgical
· Ariel Chapman – Cheshire Medical Center, medical-surgical
· Abigail Curless – Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, oncology
· Amy Donnelly – Cheshire Medical Center, intensive care
· Ryan Hornblower, MS, MA, NRP – Cheshire Medical Center, post-anesthesia care unit
“We have been very impressed with the caliber of students and their ability to contribute to our workforce during their coop periods,” said Anne Tyrol, MHA, MSN, RN, CENP, FACHE, chief nursing officer of Cheshire. “The opportunity for coop students to embed themselves within the culture of their home units has created consistency and a wonderful opportunity for students to really understand how they can contribute from day one.”
Students enrolled in NEC’s accelerated three-year BSN program complete a 14-week cooperative clinical experience each year, in addition to their coursework. During that time, students earn a salary while working at Cheshire and gaining hands-on patient care experience.
The program arrives at a critical time for healthcare systems nationwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nursing workforce is projected to grow by only 5% over the next decade, which is not enough to fill an estimated 189,100 registered nurse openings each year between 2024 and 2034. To help meet that demand,
Dartmouth Health has expanded partnerships with educational institutions across the region.
“Our leaders appreciate knowing they have a pool of qualified candidates who have already shown that they can thrive as members of the team,” said Tyrol. “Our goal in partnering with NEC was to create a pipeline for students who want to stay at Cheshire or within the Dartmouth Health system and this first class demonstrates how successful this model can be.”
About Cheshire Medical Center
Cheshire Medical Center (Cheshire) advances the health and wellness of individuals across New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region through outstanding care and exceptional service. Cheshire teams deliver an impressive range of clinical services that support the community's needs. As a member of Dartmouth Health, Cheshire is able to provide services far exceeding those of a typical rural hospital, including extensive programs in primary care, cancer care, cardiology, orthopaedics, and public health. Cheshire patients are also able to access hundreds of highly trained specialists and a depth of clinical and technical resources through its collaboration with Dartmouth Health. Cheshire’s clinical practice is distinguished by an exceptional staff, a strong commitment to safety and quality, and a culture that values the contribution of every staff member and volunteer. Cheshire is the area's largest healthcare provider and leading employer. Along with the services delivered on their Keene campus and satellite locations, the Medical Center partners with local organizations to provide vital services and programs throughout the region. To learn more, call 603-354-5400 or visit cheshiremed.org.
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and largest private employer, serves patients across New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,300 providers in nearly every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH. Its network of hospitals, outpatient centers, clinics and home care facilities, spans a broad geographical area. Year after year, DHMC is named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is consistently recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, northern New England’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of less than than 60 total nationally; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital (Children’s Hospital at DHMC/CHaD) and more than 20 locations around the region; eight member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene, Claremont, Hampstead, and New London, NH, and Windsor and Bennington, VT; Dartmouth Health Home Care; Dartmouth Health Connected Care Center for Telehealth, serving patients as far away as Texas; and more than 30 primary and multi-specialty clinics across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its partnership with Dartmouth College, Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and the White River Junction VA Medical Center, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials with international impact. Dartmouth Health and its more than 16,000 employees are committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in the communities it serves and to providing every patient with exceptional, state-of-the-art, personalized care. Learn more at dartmouth-health.org.