Butler County nursing programs expand to help fill gaps
Two nursing schools in Butler County are working to fill a critical gap in health care staffing by training hundreds of new nurses each year and partnering directly with local employers.
Butler County Community College and South College have expanded their nursing programs to meet growing demand. BC3 now offers registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) tracks. South College provides Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) and Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) programs, plus an accelerated BSN program that gets students into the workforce faster.
The programs already are showing results. BC3 graduates 60 to 70 registered nurses per year and aims to increase that number. The school also produces 12 licensed practical nurses annually, with a goal of reaching 20. South College, though newer to the area, graduated its first LPN class in April and June, with all students landing jobs before graduation.
BC3 has developed a close partnership with Concordia Lutheran Services. The relationship goes beyond typical clinical placements to include curriculum development and guaranteed employment opportunities.
“We certainly have a need for LPNs and RNs across Concordia,” said Matt Hooks, Concordia’s home and community based services human resources director. “BC3 produces strong nurses. BC3 knows that Concordia treats nurses well and provides autonomy, excellent wages and most of the benefits nurses are looking for.”
The partnership began in earnest in March 2020, coinciding with the pandemic, but was planned well before COVID-19 emerged. Concordia’s nursing team leaders work with BC3’s nursing dean to ensure course content matches the skills needed in today’s health care environment.
This collaboration helped BC3 add its LPN program. Previously, the school only offered RN training.
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John Strohecker, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, checks in on a Hal, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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John Strohecker, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, checks Hal’s, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, vitals as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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John Strohecker, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, checks Hal’s, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, vitals as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Timeisha Andrews, a respiratory therapy student, puts on a oxygen mask on Hal’s face as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Dejah Jordan, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing student, and a fellow participant try to keep Taylor Adams, right, a nursing clinical operations administrator portraying a distraught relative, away as nursing students practice medical skills and run through a life-and-death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Medical students try to keep Taylor Adams, middle, a nursing clinical operations administrator portraying a distraught relative, away as students practice medical skills and run through a life-and-death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Medical students try to keep Taylor Adams, a nursing clinical operations administrator portraying a distraught relative, away as students practice medical skills and run through a life-and-death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Eden Bailey, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, does chest compressions as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Timeisha Andrews, a respiratory therapy student, puts on a oxygen mask on Hal’s face as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Timeisha Andrews, a respiratory therapy student, puts on a oxygen mask on Hal’s face as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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John Strohecker, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, does chest compressions as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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John Strohecker, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, does chest compressions as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A monitors keeps track of Hal's vitals as a group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Erin Rzotkiewicz does chest compressions as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Timeisha Andrews, a respiratory therapy student, checks Hal’s vitals as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A monitors keeps track of Hal's vitals as a group of nursing students participate in a simulation as they practice different medical skills and procedures at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Teacher MJ Brumbaugh, right, shows Dejah Blackwell, left, how to give ostomy care as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Teacher MJ Brumbaugh, right, shows Dejah Blackwell, left, how to give ostomy care as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Teacher MJ Brumbaugh, right, shows Dejah Blackwell, left, how to give ostomy care as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Jessica Dupal, right, LPN Program Coordinator, shows Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, practices how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, practices how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, practices how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Jessica Dupal, right, LPN Program Coordinator, shows Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, practices how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Jessica Dupal, right, LPN Program Coordinator, shows Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, practices how to insert a needle for an IV as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Marie Mannella, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, checks Hal’s, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, checks vitals as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Medical students try to keep Taylor Adams, a nursing clinical operations administrator portraying a distraught relative, away as students practice medical skills and run through a life-and-death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Reshma Gurung, left, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree student, does chest compressions on Hal as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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A monitor for a small camera is used to look at Hal’s insides as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Alayia Campbell, a respiratory therapy student, checks Hal’s, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, checks vitals as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Marie Mannellaleft, left, and Brittany Holt, an Associate of Science in Nursing degree students, look for an EpiPen as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Alayia Campbell, a respiratory therapy student, checks Hal’s, a lifelike high-fidelity manikin, checks the monitors as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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An oxygen mask put on Hal’s face as nursing students practice different medical skills and procedures and run through a life and death simulation at South College in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Erik Damko, 57, of Stoneboro, Mercer County, a former flight paramedic and a second-level student in Butler County Community College’s associate degree career program in registered nursing, is shown Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, outside the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township. Submitted photo
“One of the things we pride ourselves on at Concordia is our wage and benefits package,” Hooks said.
While some LPNs pursue RN certification for higher pay or management roles, others build successful careers at the LPN level, he said.
From BC3’s most recent graduating class, 12 nursing students who completed clinical rotations at Concordia accepted job offers there. The partnership includes almost weekly communication between the organizations.
Both schools emphasize hands-on learning as essential to preparing competent nurses.
At BC3, students complete three lab sessions per week regardless of their semester level. First-year students learn basic skills, while advanced students work in labs that match their coursework, such as pediatric or maternity care.
“We have a gorgeous simulation center where we learn how to do health assessment in a safe, controlled environment,” said Julia Carney, dean of BC3’s Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health. The simulation labs are particularly valuable for pediatric and maternity rotations since real-life patients don’t always match learning timelines.
South College also uses realistic simulation labs, including mannequins that can simulate childbirth and allow students to practice listening to breathing and other vital functions.
“Most students are hands-on learners and they want to see it, but then they want to go do it,” said Dr. Karen Mikita, South College’s associate dean of nursing. “It increases their critical thinking skills because not everything can be simulated in the classroom.”
BC3 maintains clinical partnerships with 20 to 25 facilities for its RN program, including West Penn, Shadyside and Presbyterian hospitals, plus all local UPMC facilities. LPN students complete clinicals at sites like Concordia and Penn Highlands East.
The school also offers a unique pathway with Grove City College, where students complete their first year at Grove City, attend BC3 for two years of nursing training, then return to Grove City to complete their bachelor's degree.
South College has clinical affiliations with UPMC and Allegheny Health Network and facilities in the Pittsburgh and Cranberry Township areas, plus area long-term care facilities. The school starts new cohorts every quarter at the LPN, associate degree and bachelor’s degree levels.
Students from both programs praise the supportive environments and practical preparation they receive.
Alayna Bestwick, a BC3 RN student who toured the facility in 10th grade, said the hands-on nature immediately appealed to her.
“It's very much preparing you for the real experience in the hospital with the commitment to hands-on learning,” Bestwick said.
She noted that professors from different specialties provide a well-rounded education.
Erik Damko, a BC3 RN student and paramedic since 1993, chose nursing to better help people. He praised the program’s reputation and networking opportunities.
“BC3 has a great reputation for graduating great nurses,” Damko said. “With so many graduates in the workforce in area facilities, it’s not hard to find someone who has graduated from BC3 and get to know them.”
Liz Tracy, pursuing her LPN at BC3, said the program builds confidence gradually.
“When I first started, I was nervous about whether I could handle all the responsibility. But the program has a way of building your confidence step by step,” she said. “Now, when I walk into a patient’s room, I don’t just hope I can do it, I know I can.”
Jalina Hawkins, a South College BSN student who previously worked in oncology, chose the school for its supportive environment.
“You can just walk in the doors and see how amazing and helpful they are here,” Hawkins said. “Some schools, you graduate and you’re done. Here, they help you with resumes and finding jobs and all the required skills.”
Both programs recognize the emotional demands of nursing and built-in support systems.
BC3 provides student success coaches, a Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation (CARE) team and department chairs who get to know students personally. Faculty remain available for additional help and clinical groups are limited to eight students per instructor.
“Our faculty are always available and open with students,” Carney said.
The program’s final preceptorship includes training on preventing burnout.
South College assigns student advisers and success advisers to each student. Clinical days end with debriefing sessions where students can discuss unexpected situations or process their emotions.
Both schools emphasize peer support as crucial for student success.
The programs face the same challenges as the broader health care industry, including nursing shortages and an aging workforce. Pennsylvania needs about 20,000 additional RNs over the next 10 years, according to South College’s Mikita.
“Because we are an accelerated program, we’re able to get these nursing students prepared to go out and work in the real world faster than what a traditional program would do,” Mikita said.
Both schools report adequate faculty and clinical placement opportunities, allowing them to meet community demand.
The programs also adapt to changing health care trends. Concordia noted growing demand for home health care services as patients prefer recovering at home rather than in hospitals or skilled-nursing facilities.
“We grow. We adjust. We look,” Carney said. “We’ve got to keep growing. I always tell myself don’t get comfortable in the shoes you have because you might grow out of them.”
As health care continues to evolve, these Butler County programs remain focused on producing well-trained, confident nurses ready to meet community needs while providing the support systems necessary for long-term career success.
This article originally appeared in the October edition of Butler County Business Matters.
