Alaska Pacific University Partners with Mat-Su Valley Healthcare Facilities for a New Nursing Program
Contributed by Toni Riley
Alaska Pacific University has partnered with Yuncarista and collaborated with several Mat-Su Valley healthcare providers including Pioneer Home of Palmer, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Maxim Healthcare, Primrose Retirement Community and Maple Springs of Palmer and Wasilla, to expand its Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program. The program aims to deliver outstanding nursing education focused on cultural safety and clinical excellence for rural and Alaska Native populations.
APU is working to meet a statewide demand for nurses by preparing students to care for others and qualify for licensure. According to Indeed, the average LPN in Alaska makes almost $45 an hour, which is about 30% above the national average. The outlook for this profession is bright, as it is expected to grow faster than the national average.
This is the third practical nurse partnership the university has developed in the state. The first cohort graduated this month out of Bethel, Alaska, in partnership with Yuut Elitnaurviat. A second cohort, developed with Foundation Health Partners in Fairbanks, starts in January. The first cohort in the Mat-Su Valley area will begin in August. The program, delivered over two semesters, includes didactic, active learning of skills, and clinical practice.
Applicants must have prior clinical experience in healthcare. Some positions that qualify as health experience include medical assistant, health aide, paramedic, EMT, and more. Clinical Nursing Assistants, or CNAs, also qualify. Mat-Su currently offers a CNA training program, and Pioneer Home of Palmer offers a CNA apprenticeship—fueling efforts for the partnership to develop. Interested students must complete an anatomy and physiology class with lab, submit an online application, and have an interview with APU’s nursing faculty. To practice as an LPN, graduates must pass the NCLEX- PN national licensure exam and be licensed by the Alaska Board of Nursing.
Toni Riley
Alaska Pacific University
907-564-8300
triley@alaskapacific.edu