Kayla Amado has seen the horrors of the coronavirus up close as a front-line worker.
Amado worked in a Providence-based rehabilitation facility when COVID-19 cases were skyrocketing a year ago, claiming the lives of many patients. It was a challenging time, she said, leading to worries that she’d bring the virus home to her husband and two young children.
“The virus ran rampant in our building,” she said of Hallworth House, where she worked as an occupational therapist. “There were numerous positive cases. We were like sitting ducks.”
Financial pressures exacerbated by COVID-19 eventually led to the closure of the facility in 2020. “It was all very sad,” she said.
Since the age of 16, the Johnston resident had built a career working in health care, first as a certified nursing assistant, and then as an occupational therapist for 11 years
Out of a job and unable to find work as a therapist, Amado decided to change course, returning to school to earn a nursing degree, something she had always wanted to do. She applied to the nursing program at the Community College of Rhode Island and recently learned that she’s been accepted to start this fall.
The pandemic played a role in her decision, she said, acknowledging that she likes serving on the front lines “taking care of multiple people.”
Amado is not alone.
‘It’s wonderful to see people being drawn to the profession.’
ROSEMARY COSTIGAN, Community College of Rhode Island vice president for academic affairs
CCRI, Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island have seen a jump in the number of people applying to their nursing programs following an immediate decline after the pandemic first arrived last year.
Educators are crediting the raised profile of nurses during the crisis for the uptick in interest.
“More individuals are seeking nursing degrees because there has been significant positive attention from the media, and appreciation from the public,” said Carolynn Masters, dean of RIC’s School of Nursing. “[They’re] realizing that one of the most rewarding aspects of being a nurse is the ability to make a difference. We are the front-line heroes.”
CCRI says its nursing program received 602 applications over the winter for classes that are slated to begin this fall. That’s an increase from 453 applicants a year earlier. And URI reported 2,457 applicants – the highest number in the last three years – for its College of Nursing for the fall of 2021.
“Nursing has been the consistent No. 1 most-respected field and the pandemic just illustrates this even more – thus calling many to this wonderful field,” said Dean Libutti, URI’s vice provost for enrollment management.
And at RIC’s School of Nursing, administrators say they’ve seen an increase in the proportion of applicants who already have a degree and are already working in other professions.
Samantha Kaiser falls into that category. The sophomore nursing student at RIC already holds a bachelor’s degree in exotic avian management. She left a job in the field due to “mild burnout” and a limited opportunity for career advancement.
“I felt like my prior experiences could be useful in my future nursing practice,” said Kaiser. “RIC’s second degree program was exciting because it allowed me to build on the education I have already received.”
Kaiser said the pandemic revealed how integral nurses are to public health care and are deserving of recognition “as heroes on the news.”
CCRI officials have witnessed the same trend, particularly because the school provides a two-year pathway to a degree, according to Rosemary Costigan, Community College of Rhode Island vice president for academic affairs.
“I think it’s caused a lot of potential candidates that have been working in other professions to reconsider,” she said. “If you have a bachelor’s degree in another area, there are fast-track nursing programs that allow students to graduate in 15 to 18 months.”
Not all nursing programs are reporting significant increases in the applicant pool.
Salve Regina University in Newport has not seen an increase, although interest remains high. Spokesman Matt Boxler said applicants for the fall 2021 nursing program numbered 944, down from 963 in 2019 and 954 in 2020.
But most nursing schools are seeing an increase.
Costigan noted that, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, programs nationwide are reporting a 6% increase in applications to four-year degree programs.
The increased interest in health care education is going beyond nursing.
Brown University recently reported that applications for its Master of Public Health program have more than doubled this year from 437 to 948. And there’s been a dramatic increase in interest from prospective students of color, Brown said.
“I think this shows how many people are truly understanding what public health means and how it plays out in our lives, and how they could apply public health skills to challenges in the real world,” said Annie Gjelsvik, director of the Brown MPH program and an associate professor of epidemiology, in a statement.
The increased interest in the nursing profession apparently has also translated to a sense of commitment. At CCRI, nursing students were given an option to “opt out” during the pandemic, but a vast majority chose to stick with the program.
“It’s wonderful to see people being drawn to the profession,” said Costigan. “The challenges are providing motivation for those that want to be a part of it.”
Costigan, a 20-year nursing veteran, said the motivation is borne out of deep-rooted eagerness to assist those in need.
“Nursing is a discipline that is truly an art and a science,” she said, noting that “the driver is coming from the art side. It is a person who can do advanced calculations while holding a person’s hand when they are dying. It is a very unique person who wants to do that.”
Amado is cut from that cloth.
“It’s in you,” said Amado, who has been accepted into CCRI’s nursing program. “The bottom line is we’re in this profession to take care of people. It is our job. We’re there for the patients.”
Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Shuman@PBN.com.
We have also seen a marked increase in the number of scholarship applications, notably nursing, but also other health care fields. It is a sign of the times, coupled with a reported nursing shortage the last few years. We strive to assist RI nursing students with their educational expenses and encourage graduates to stay in the state and make a difference.
Paula Iacono, Executive Director
CharterCARE Foundation