FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVA FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $420,000 INVESTMENT FROM LOCAL HEALTHCARE PARTNERS TO BOLSTER WORKFORCE PIPELINE
ARLINGTON, VA (September 13, 2023) – In response to the region’s extreme shortage of trained nurses, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has worked with local partners to build an immediate pathway to train students to enter the field in as little as 13 months. NOVA Workforce is pleased to announce that the Virginia Board of Nursing has approved the Licensed Practical Nursing Program to be offered at the College’s Reston Technology Center.
The program would not be possible without the tremendous support of community partners like Goodwin Living, Vinson Hall Retirement Community, VHC Health and Woodbine Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, who together contributed $420,000 to the NOVA Educational Foundation to launch the program. These funds will provide start-up costs for an initial two cohorts across the first two years to establish the program and provide funding for equipment, salaries and last-dollar scholarships for students.
“Each year, hundreds of qualified nursing student candidates are turned away because of program capacity constraints, and we knew with the support of our generous donors, we could make a positive change,” said Rob Liebreich, CEO of Goodwin Living. “With the doubling of the older adult population in this region over the next 20 years, we must have a more robust clinical workforce today, and we must embrace those who seek to be nurses. We are so very excited that this collaboration will increase the number of NOVA-trained nurses by nearly 30%. This is a win for everyone.”
The NOVA Workforce Practical Nursing (PN) certificate program prepares students for licensure to work as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The program's vision is to become the gold standard for excellence in evidence-based practical nursing education in Virginia. The program will implement innovative approaches to education to meet the diverse needs of our students and the community.
“This unique public/private partnership is a tremendous example of the impact local industry leaders can have when they work together to provide financial support to address a critical professional shortage,” said, Kelly Persons, executive director of the NOVA Foundation. “We are grateful to each of our partners for their inspiring support. I am personally grateful to Rob Liebreich, CEO of Goodwin Living, for his passion and perseverance in marshaling the support of his peers to make this new Practical Nursing certificate program a reality.”
Graduates of NOVA’s PN program will have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to be excellent healthcare providers. They will also be well prepared to continue their nursing education to achieve their RN license and more advanced levels of nursing in the future.
Interested students can learn more and apply at https://www.nvcc.edu/workforce/lpn/. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For program inquiries, please contact Katie Jennings, associate director of allied health programs, NOVA Workforce at workforcehealthcare@nvcc.edu. For media inquiries, contact Hoang Nguyen, associate director of external communications at hdnguyen@nvcc.edu.
About the Funders:
Goodwin Living™ touches the lives of thousands of people every day through its range of senior living communities, specialized healthcare services, community partnerships and philanthropic endeavors. With a mission to support, honor and uplift the lives of others (specifically older adults and those who care for them), Goodwin Living leads the way in expanding the places and ways we can all thrive and find purpose as we age. Older adults will discover options that meet them where they want to be, and those options are managed and provided by team members who represent more than 65 countries. Goodwin Living™ has been a Washington Post Top Workplace for five consecutive years and was named the #1 Top Workplace for 2023. Get more information at GoodwinLiving.org or by following Goodwin Living on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
GHI (Goodwin House Inc.) also is the management agent for The Lewinsville Retirement Residences, Inc. serving low-income older adults in McLean and Great Falls, Virginia. GHI also advances its mission through the Goodwin Living Foundation, a 501(c)(3)-supporting foundation that provides financial support to current and future residents in need of funding for programs dedicated to promoting growth and education of staff as well as overall well-being and vibrant living as we age.
VHC Health: VHC Health provides exceptional medical services as our region’s community health system. Virginia Hospital Center is a 453-bed not-for-profit teaching facility and designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and a proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network – a national network of independent healthcare organizations. The hospital was recognized as a 2021 Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group and in 2022 was selected for an 11th consecutive Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and a 21st consecutive ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group. VHC Health is committed to being both the best health system and the best workplace in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
Vinson Hall Retirement Community: Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, was formed by the Naval Officer’s Wives’ Club of Washington, D.C. to provide housing for military officers’ widows without sufficient funds to live in dignity when their spouse’s passed away.
Today, the Foundation supports the programs and initiatives of Vinson Hall Retirement Community, a vibrant senior living community located in McLean, Va. that was established in 1969. Vinson Hall independent living serves commissioned uniformed service officers and their immediate families as well as federal government employees at the GS-14 level or above. Assisted Living, Nursing Care, Memory Support and Short-term Rehabilitation do not require military or government affiliation.
Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center: This state-of-the-art center provides post-hospital care, short-term rehab and long-term residential care, with a range of progressive, specialty skilled nursing services. Woodbine Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Alexandria was recognized as Virginia’s #1 nursing home in Newsweek’s “America’s Best Nursing Homes 2021.” The center’s multi-disciplinary approach to care combines respiratory therapies with physical, occupational and speech therapies, among other services.
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About VHC HealthTM:
VHC Health provides exceptional medical services as our region’s community health system. Virginia Hospital Center was designated a 2021 Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. In 2022, the Hospital was selected for an 11th consecutive Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and a 21st consecutive ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group. Virginia Hospital Center is a 453-bed not-for-profit teaching facility and designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. VHC Health is a proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network – a national network of independent healthcare organizations.
