WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps today announced $35,500 in federal funding for the Cuesta College Nursing Program. Capps requested the funding last year.
Congresswoman Capps, a registered nurse, said the funding will help address overall health care workforce needs on the Central Coast. “I was thrilled to support this funding. We can only stem the growing nurse shortage if the quality programs like those at Cuesta College are able to continue to train the nurses and other health professionals of the future. This federal investment will help ensure that we have the nurses we need here in San Luis Obispo, and throughout the region.”
The nursing program at Cuesta College will use this funding to purchase basic equipment such as medical equipment simulators, defibrillator trainers, skeletons, computers, computer-assisted instruction CDs, videos, and books.
San Luis Obispo has been severely affected by the nursing shortage, but the nursing program at Cuesta College has been severely limited in the number of students it can train because of its equipment needs. This funding will enable Cuesta to train more students in the health care professional fields.
Mary Parker, RN, Ed.D., is the Director of Nursing/Allied Health at Cuesta College. Parker said, “This grant could not be timelier. Nursing students will directly benefit from this federal award. Cuesta College will be able to maintain our state-of-the-art skills lab enabling us to continue to educate outstanding nurses for our area. It is wonderful to see our tax dollar benefit the local community at a time that we have such a need.”
###
