The Essential Bridge: How LPN Education Drives the Nursing Workforce Pipeline
This session will explore the critical roles that Practical Nursing (PN) programs play in addressing today’s nursing workforce shortages and advancing equity across the health care continuum. The presentation will highlight how strengthened LPN education pathways support access, mobility, and increased diversity in the nursing pipeline. Participants will also gain insight into the impact of PN programs in rural and underserved communities and learn strategies for designing intentional academic-practice partnerships that support workforce readiness and long-term retention.
Key Takeaways
- PN/VN programs as a workforce engine
- How strengthening the LPN-RN-BSN pathway improves retention and diversity
- How to build intentional partnerships with: hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional health, community agencies
Speaker
With over 30 years of experience in nursing education, research, and service in North Carolina, Byrd has established herself as a distinguished leader in the field. In her new role, she will cultivate and sustain strategic external partnerships to promote health equity and support the overall mission and impact of Carolina Nursing. For the past five years, Byrd has served as the associate director of academic programs and coordinator of health sciences for the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), where she expertly coordinated nursing and allied health programs for 58 community colleges.
Before joining NCCCS, Byrd was pivotal in founding the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing at Campbell University. As the director of simulation and director of fundamentals of nursing and medical surgical nursing, she created the nursing curriculum and was instrumental in securing initial accreditation for the school. Under her guidance, the first graduating class achieved a remarkable 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination. While at Campbell, Byrd also created a cultural awareness program that facilitated meaningful connections between students and the broader campus community, equipping them with effective communication skills for interacting with individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
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