VAFS supports Virginia’s new “Earn-to-Learn” program that pays nursing students for clinical work

Sep 8

2 min read

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RICHMOND, VA— The State of Virginia has launched a new statewide program that pays nursing students in our state to work as nurse externs, patient care technicians or nursing assistants while still in school. Virginians Advocating for Seniors (VAFS), an association committed to improving the quality of life, quality of care, and quality of outcomes at the Commonwealth's nursing homes, fully supports this new program — especially since we have first-hand knowledge of how well it can work.

With medical workforce shortages a persistent challenge in Virginia, especially in nursing homes, this new $4.8 million “Earn-to-Learn” program give students paid, hands-on experience before they graduate while giving health care providers an earlier connection to potential future employees.

“With 58% of nursing home facilities indicating that they have no qualified applicants and 24% indicating that they have no applicants at all, we support any solution that both provides immediate staffing solutions while contributing to hands-on training and ultimately to higher retention rates,” VAFS said.

Medical Facilities of America, a member of VAFS, has had success with its own in-house “Earn-to-Learn” program.

VAFS knows first hand just how effective an “Earn-to-Learn” program can be. Our very own Medical Facilities of America (MFA), one of Virginia’s largest operators, has been conducting its own nurse aid education program, regulated by the Board of Nursing, to prepare students to become a licensed Certified Nurse Aide (CNA).

Under this program, MFA’s facilities invest approximately $34,000 per class. Each four to five week class is capped at 10 students. While administrators recruit many of the students from within MFA’s existing workforce, a good number of the participants come from the local community. MFA pays the entire cost of the class as well as salaries for each of the students—even before they pass the CNA licensure exam.

These classes have become so popular that MFA conducts new classes every four to five weeks, and most graduates stay within the MFA family of facilities following graduation and licensure. Because of the success of this program, MFA has also recently launched a Director of Nursing (DON) Academy to improve retention of their registered nurses who are promoted to DON positions.

“This program is another step forward in addressing the quality of care at all of Virginia’s nursing homes. When both the state government and nursing homes work together to train and recruit our workforce, only good things can happen,” VAFS said.

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About Virginians Advocating for Seniors

Virginians Advocating for Seniors (VAFS) represents more than half of the Commonwealth’s nursing homes that care for older Virginians with complex medical, behavioral health, and long-term care needs. VAFS believes that policymakers should pair strong accountability with more flexibility and predictability, creating a system that allows facilities to invest in people, stabilize operations, and keep access available for those who need care close to home.