Opinion: How community colleges can address state’s nursing shortage

The road to becoming a nurse in California has been paved with roadblocks, sharp turns and bottlenecks. Where that education is offered has a lot to do with it.

As someone who has lived every long mile and continued to drive forward, I believe the solution lies in expanding the ability for California’s community colleges to offer bachelor of science degrees in nursing.

Community colleges are where many nurses start. They should be where we have the chance to finish as we shift into our careers.

Assembly Bill 1400, if passed, would enable some of California’s community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in nursing programs. Students could pursue their education in their communities, at a cost they could afford.

Before I earned my nursing license, I worked 15 years as a unit secretary in a busy hospital emergency department. I dreamed of becoming one of the nurses I watched delivering care.

I needed a program that was affordable, close to home and flexible enough so I could keep earning a living while studying. I chose Cerritos College and pursued an associate’s degree in nursing, since that program is known for rigorous training and a high success rate — including my cohort, who all passed the licensing exam.

Despite my dedication and on-the-job experience, I knew I wouldn’t qualify for the nursing position I sought without a bachelor’s degree. But I faced a frustrating reality: I had to leave Cerritos College and take on the expense of a four-year university.

I completed my bachelor’s at National University, which was a great opportunity, but it came with a high price tag and student loans. I managed the loans and the commute, but for many Californians who already work or have a family, a bachelor’s program at a community college would be life-changing.

AB 1400 is ultimately about equitable access and building a health care workforce that reflects California’s diverse communities. And it opens doors to health care careers that are desperately needed. Nearly 60% of California’s population lives in an area with a nursing shortage. To meet California’s projected need of 65,000 more full-time nurses by 2037, we need more than one solution.

Today I work as an emergency room nurse for the trauma center where I started my career. I also pay it forward as a success coach for nursing students at Cerritos College.

I’ve mentored many students who, like me, are the first in their families to enter a health care profession. I see their passion, their drive and, unfortunately, their fear of the next step. The tuition cost of a bachelor’s nursing program is tens of thousands of dollars, putting it out of reach for many.

We need to meet students where they are by adapting to their work, family and financial situations.

Limon is a registered nurse in the Los Angeles area and a Cerritos College student success coach. She wrote this for CalMatters.