The nursing program at Mt. Hood Community College has grown considerably in the last year.

At present, the program accepts 80 students a year.

And, according to the Dean of Allied Health, Paula Gubrud-Howe, the program will continue to grow.

Acceptances into the nursing program takes place at one time, but the 80 selected students arrive at MHCC in two groups.

“We accept a cohort of 40 in the spring and another cohort of 40 in the fall,” Gubrud-Howe said.

As of fall 2005, the nursing program is running at 100 percent capacity. Currently, the program has about 120 students.

By spring 2006, after adding another 40 students, the program will have doubled in size from spring 2005.

Students in the MHCC nursing program will have the opportunity to go on and get their baccalaureate degree using a seamless system because of the collaborative arrangement that MHCC has with Oregon Health and Sciences University.

The program has also added several part time faculty and two full time instructors.
According to Gubrud-Howe, both full time faculty members come with diverse backgrounds, which will be beneficial to the students.

“Eydie Pahls has lots of experience in critical care with both adults and children,” Gubrud-Howe said. “Marianne Wallace comes with lots of nursing management and administration experience.”

One thing Gubrud-Howe, Pahls and Wallace agree on is that the program is going to need more space soon.

“If we had the [space], we could even expand the program more, because the jobs will exist,” Gubrud-Howe said. “Most [students] will have a job before they graduate.”

According to Gubrud-Howe, the nursing program will continue to run double capacity as long as there are jobs available.