A new nurse training program is opening in Fresno and is designed to help close the gap in the region’s nursing corps.

Samuel Merritt University, a private university based in Oakland, will operate the center in north Fresno, which has its grand opening on Thursday.

The center will be home to the university’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. The first class of 48 students will start in August, followed by another class of 48 in October or November.

Samuel Merritt University joins other public and private colleges and universities in the Fresno area training nurses. There is a workforce shortage because many veteran nurses opted for retirement after the pandemic.

The dearth of nurses and other health care providers has always been worse in the Valley when compared to elsewhere in the state. A recent survey by the California Health Care Foundation found that half of the Central Valley residents surveyed said their community lacks sufficient nurses.

Samuel Merritt University touts itself as having the only accelerated nurse training program in the region, with one of the lower student-to-instructor ratios.

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Nurse Training Hampered by Limited Clinical Hours

One of the region’s larger nurse training programs is at Fresno City College, which graduates about 110 nursing students in the fall and again in the spring and 24 licensed vocational nurses in the summer. Fresno City College receives more than 1,000 applications each year for the 220 seats, said Lorraine Smith, dean of Allied Health, Physical Education and Athletics.

However, it’s not solely about finding enough seats for the students. Fresno City College, like other nursing programs, must also be able to provide clinical hours so students get real-world training that’s required before they graduate and take their registered nurse examination, Smith said.

“The Board of Registered Nursing after the pandemic has allowed a little bit more flexibility with how we provide those hours for students,” Smith said. “However, there’s still a strong need to have them there doing those hours because that’s how they get the experience. So we are a little concerned with all these programs coming in because it impacts our students.

“Ultimately, as far as having access to some of those clinical spots, it’s kind of a, what’s the lesser of two evils? Because we need the nurses, but we also need the clinicals.”

The nursing shortage also means there are fewer nurses available for students to shadow in clinicals.

The solution has been to lower the number of live clinical hours in exchange for “virtual” clinics, where students work with mannequins instead of live patients.

“Students used to be able to go for a pediatric rotation. They’d go every other week for a 12-hour shift or whatever it might be. Now they’re down to every third week with a six-hour shift in the hospital. The rest is simulation,” Smith said. “… We’re trying to make it work, but it’s a different experience than it was five years ago because of the expansion of all these programs.”

Other nursing programs in the region include Fresno Pacific University, National University, University of Phoenix, Unitek College, and Gurnick Academy Nursing.

Meeting a Need

Why is Samuel Merritt University locating in Fresno?

“Investing in Fresno and students interested in pursuing health care professions from the regions they grew up in is central to Samuel Merritt University’s commitment to transform the experience of care in diverse communities,” the university said in a news release.

Samuel Merritt University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has already trained 1,542 students in other locations over the past five years. The university’s partners have included Kaiser Permanente.

The Fresno center at 1791 E. Fir Ave. in northeast Fresno is expected to graduate three classes yearly, with one class starting in August, the next in October/November, and the third in March. Students are expected to complete their training in 12 months.

Samuel Merritt University Locator Map

Fresno State’s Nursing Program

Fresno State, which also has a nurse training degree program that graduates about 150 students yearly, welcomes the arrival of the Samuel Merritt University program to Fresno.

“Our nursing program remains highly competitive and historically, similar local programs have not impacted our enrollment,” the university said in an email. “Fresno State’s focus continues to be on providing exceptional education and training to our students, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet the health care needs of our community. We welcome collaborative efforts that aim to address the nursing shortage and enhance health care outcomes in the Central Valley.”

At California Health Sciences University, a private medical college in Clovis, officials are looking forward to collaborating with Samuel Merritt University “as our missions are similarly aligned to train compassionate health care providers for underserved communities.”

CHSU does not have any plans to add a nursing program, a spokeswoman said.

Disclosure: GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi is a CHSU trustee, and his family founded the university.