Pathways to Health Careers in Northeast Pennsylvania

Working in collaboration with the Hazleton Integration Project (HIP), Penn State Hazleton is addressing the nursing workforce crisis in Luzerne County. With a $100,000 grant from AllOne Foundation, the college established the “Pathways to Health Careers in Northeast Pennsylvania” program. The program prepares students to successfully pass the Test of Essential Academic Skills exam, increases the number of students eligible to enter the practical nursing program, and provides social, academic, and economic support to students upon matriculation. Stipends support travel, childcare, and meal costs while students are completing their clinical experiences.

The Pathways to Health Careers program removes financial and language barriers and utilizes mentorship and remediation to support nursing students. These supports will set students up for success, add much-needed bilingual healthcare provision to the area, and serve to alleviate the critical workforce shortages in long-term and critical care settings.