November 13, 2024—The Palm Beach Health Network donated $300,000 worth of nursing scholarships to three area nursing schools as part of the State of Florida’s LINE grant program that provides matching funds to nursing schools.
PBHN provided 30 nursing students with $10,000 scholarships at the following schools: Palm Beach Atlantic University, Florida Atlantic University, and Indian River State College this year.
Additional scholarships will be provided for selected nursing students attending Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, and Indian River State College in 2025.
“We take the training of our nurses seriously. They are the backbone of the high-quality care we provide at our PBHN hospitals which feature some of the most complex and innovative programs throughout South Florida and the Treasure Coast,” said Ricky Ramirez, Group Chief Nursing Officer, Palm Beach Health Network. “The LINE program has made the dream of becoming a nurse much more attainable in Florida by helping remove barriers like cost, so the focus can remain on learning how to provide exceptional care.”
The LINE program was established in 2022 as a competitive grant opportunity for state universities, school districts, Florida College System (FCS) institutions, and independent nonprofit colleges and universities by providing matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis to participating agencies that partner with health care providers. The PIPELINE fund rewards performance and excellence among nursing education programs at state universities, school district postsecondary technical career centers, and FCS institutions that offer a licensed practical nurse program.
“Through Governor DeSantis’ leadership and the support of the Florida legislature, our universities are partnering with the private sector to receive mission critical resources needed to graduate more high-quality nurses than ever before,” said Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “With the continuation of the LINE and PIPELINE investments, nursing programs will continue to expand and fill a critical workforce need for our state.”
PBHN has a robust nurse extern program, that hires nursing students as nurse externs, training and building them up to be competent and confident nurses. Since 2022, PBHN has hired 328 nurse externs to become registered nurses (RN). We have 20 recent nursing school graduates who will take or have passed their RN board exam (NCLEX) this month. One hundred more nurse externs are set to take their NCLEX in early 2025. PBHN plans on training about 230 nurse externs in 2025 to become RNs. This training greatly increases the skill and knowledge base of the new nurses due to experience, mentoring, and 1:1 precepting with RNs.
About Palm Beach Health Network
The Palm Beach Health Network (PBHN), comprising six hospitals and care centers spanning Palm Beach County, is the largest healthcare network in Palm Beach County. Our hospitals, including Delray Medical Center, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, and West Boca Medical Center, along with a large multi-specialty physician group, various ambulatory surgery centers and outpatient diagnostic facilities, is recognized for providing the highest quality healthcare, combining cutting-edge health services with patient-centric care. With the greatest longevity in the community, along with hospitals and care centers that span the entirety of Palm Beach County, more patients trust PBHN than any other in the region.