Samantha Stevenson's new job is to recruit non-traditional students to the nursing profession, men included.
Especially men, in this case.
Stevenson, 42, has been named diversity caseworker coordinator for a local initiative intended to meet anticipated growth in demand for nurses. The Springfield resident started as a certified nurse's assistant in 1992, obtained her licensed practical nurse certification in 1994 and her registered nurse degree in 2008.
"It might be a hard slog, but I want students to understand they can achieve it," Stevenson said Tuesday after the announcement was made by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Central Illinois Nursing Initiative.
A $545,000 grant announced last summer by a group of medical, business and not-for-profit organizations is paying for the part-time position. The grant also helped start weekend and evening nursing classes at Lincoln Land Community College to accelerate the training of nurses. The classes started in January.
Stevenson, who has been on the job since March 1, is based at the Springfield Urban League office. Her salary was not disclosed.
Chamber director of medical development Mikal Sutton-Vereen said there are an estimated 100 to 150 nursing jobs at the two Springfield hospitals alone.
"That's just the hospitals. That doesn't include long-term care, or Springfield Clinic, or any of the other, smaller institutions," said Vereen.
Stevenson said she already has begun to make contacts with schools and employment-training programs. While recruitment also is targeted to minorities, both Stevenson and Vereen said men are considered a "minority" when it comes to nursing.
"It's a challenge, the perception of nursing, but it's not Florence Nightingale anymore," said Vereen.
"Nursing is one of the few professions where men are actually seen as a minority, so every day there's different opportunities for them as far as scholarships and getting into nursing programs," she added.
Vereen said the group plans to recruit working male nurses in Springfield to help promote the field.
Stevenson said she was 24 years old with four children when she decided to begin certified nursing assistant training. She is now the mother of five.
She said it is experience she can use when selling nursing as a career, including to men.
"I'm going to tell them (students) my story, and the opportunity that is out there," said Stevenson. "I tell them with the recession, the way the world is now, we all have to have a job. You can go anywhere and be a nurse."
Tim Landis can be reached at 788-1536.
Who's in nursing?
There are more than 2.9 million licensed registered nurses in the United States, according to an analysis by MinorityNurse.com, a Web site for non-traditional nurses, students and faculty.
Other findings
The job outlook
