Less than three years ago, panic was setting in around Koochiching County as a growing need for more health care workers was identified in the area.
Cries for help went out and officials looking to remedy the shortage joined forces. Action plans were put into place and an advisory board was formed. One need realized was to grow the nursing program at Rainy River Community College.
In 2012, the college lost its stature to offer the program, and partnered with Itasca Community College. The program once flourished with 55-60 students enrolled, but only had six by 2015.
RRCC’s former provost Carol Helland said the program needed a champion – someone who could dedicate the time and effort needed to grow enrollment and help produce qualified workers to fill open health care positions around the county. By August 2016, Donita Ettestad was hired as the RRCC health care program director and said she was ready to turn things around.
Fast forward to last week. Ettestad sat at her desk in the back room of the college’s nursing lab smiling from ear-to-ear about the more than 30 students enrolled in the school’s nursing program on some level, including certified nursing assistant, licensed nurse practitioner, registered nurse and phlebotomy courses.
“It’s really exciting,” she said. “We’re pulling people out of the community who maybe hadn’t considered a career in health care before.”
In Ettestad’s first year on the job, only the licensed practical nursing class was offered on site through ICC. Now, through a partnership with Hibbing Community College, a registered nursing class is available at the local campus.
“The (RN class) was usually only running every other year because there weren’t enough students to have it every year,” she said. “This year, there were 17 applicants.”
The nursing program’s success is helping to fill the need for health care workers in the county, but there are still positions available. In an effort to match individuals with their waiting career, the Koochiching County Health Care Advisory Council will host the second annual health care job fair from 3-6 p.m. Thursday in the RRCC gym.
“There will be over 15 employers available...there are also on-site interviews and resource booths,” Ettestad said.
The layout will be similar to the first job fair held last year, but with a few things being done slightly different, Ettestad said. She is hopeful having the event closer to graduation and in the early evening hours will attract more people interested in a health care-related field.
“It’s free and open to everyone,” she said. “We hope to just generate interest across the board...Employers like to touch base with potential recruits...The jobs available are good paying jobs.”
Ettestad has already accomplished some of her early goals, but still has plans for the college’s nursing program and its future. She is hopeful to grow enrollment and create more qualified professionals to stay and work in Koochiching County.
“We hope people choose to stay here and grow in their careers here,” she said. “We have the ability to do both LPN and RN here and those are great opportunities.”
