By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Like most hospitals, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is fighting staffing issues along with the pandemic. Fortunately, the area has the Allied Health Center at Hutchinson Community College, something the hospital is keeping close contact with.
“We have such an invaluable resource in Hutchinson Community College,” Chuck Welch of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare Systems said. “They have well known allied health and nursing programs. Many of our nurses today have gone through the program.”
And the hospital is going to work to strengthen that relationship in hopes to keep an open pipeline of medical staff coming in.
“We’re talking about lots of different operations and possibilities as far as building out classroom space and creating scholarships,” Welch said. “So if there’s kids out there that are even thinking about entertaining a profession in healthcare, right now is the time to start thinking about it.”
Welch says that nursing positions have now gone beyond being important to the hospital and the rest of the medical profession.
“Allied health nursing positions have always been important,” Welch said. “I think for the first time in my life they’re imperative.”
Welch says that it’s a priority to get nursing students into and through the program and get them on staff in the coming years.
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