Nurses of all specialties are desperately needed in northeastern Minnesota. There’s several factors why there aren’t as many nurses. Some of the reasons are a shrinking workforce, an aging population and fewer people wanting to become a nurse. Local colleges and nursing programs in the Northland are training the next generation of nurses in rural Minnesota healthcare.

The Fond du Lac Tribal Community College held a Nurse and Health Expo. The college’s staff are working to inspire high school students to take an interest learning more about medical field, and become the next generation of nurses.

One part of their program is learning how to be more culturally aware when treating the American Indian community. Jessica Huber, the Dean of Nursing and Health studies, says this new teaching approach to treating patients is unique to the college. The FDLTCC’s relationship with the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation is critical to ensuring healthcare to indigenous communities in Minnesota.

“We really take a lot of pride when it comes to supporting culturally sensitive nursing. We have great partnerships with our local reservation,” Huber said. “Also we look really closely in offering opportunities where students are able to do preceptorships and rotations through some of our community partners as well.”

Nurse job openings are projected to grow up to 13% for the next six years, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. That’s practically 1.9 Million openings for nurses every year until 2031.

“The nursing shortage isn’t coming. The nursing shortage is here. Huge demand for nurses right now. It’s not just hospital nursing. We’re looking at clinical nursing, public health nursing,” Huber said. “The world of telehealth and case management has also really been exploding. There’s always going to be a need for travel nursing as well. Some of our graduates have taken on that opportunity and have a chance to do some travel nursing.”

While the nationwide nurse shortage continues to cause issues in the medical field, Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College’s nursing program also prepares students wanting to work in rural healthcare.

Bradley Untiedt has been part of the college’s nursing program for three semesters. He says in his classes learning about quality bedside manner and community engagement is critical to treating patients in northeastern Minnesota.

“Developing those relationships help us with how to deal with people. Based on our small class sizes, our really personable group of people here, it really helps develop that,” Untiedt said. “Those skills of how to work with one another, I think is really important for getting into nursing.”

The nursing shortage has already gotten to the point where students are being offered jobs before they even graduate. Bradley says he wants to help northland communities of Cloquet, and Duluth with emergency nursing.

“So what brought me to nursing was definitely my passion for caring for my community,” Untiedt said. “I’ve grown up in this area and absolutely love being around and helping my neighbors.”

Also here’s another story about the labor contract negotiations between Essentia Health and nurses in Sandstone.