Rochester Regional Health is addressing two significant community needs with its recent Move: growing a diverse generation of nurses for the future while revitalizing a commercial space that has been dormant for far too long.
The health system announced in September the expansion of its Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing in a new location: the former Macy’s building at Skyview on the Ridge (former Medley Centre) in Irondequoit.
“This is another important way to keep our community healthy,” said Rochester Regional Health President and CEO Eric Bieber, MD. “This move is helping bring new life to Skyview on the Ridge and helping us build a nursing workforce that will serve our community for decades to come.”
The large renovated space at Skyview on the Ridge enables Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing to increase its student volumes and programs. Currently, the school offers day and evening classes for licensed practical nurses (LPN). Students in the LPN program receive hands-on training and utilize state-of-the-art technology. More than 120 students graduated from the school in June and 310 students are now enrolled which is the largest class ever at the school.
“Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, and the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on their crucial role in caring for patients. The selflessness and compassion they display to anyone who needs their help set an example for all of us,” Bieber said.
“We need more nurses and we need to make sure whoever wants to become one has a clear and easy path to receive the training and education they need to make this happen,” said Chief Nursing Education Officer Deborah Stamps. “An educated community improves health disparities – as we educate LPNs they can educate family and friends and members of the network to make more informed health care decisions leading to a decrease in health disparities.”
The current Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing is located at the Wegman Center for Workforce Development on Portland Avenue. Other medical education programs will operate in that facility after the expansion is complete.