91视频 Nursing Students Join First RN Apprentice Cohort in West Tennessee
(L-R) Dr. Tracy D. Hall, Christian Cricket Bautista,
Kristan Nikki Pittman and Dr. Marlon Gibson.
Two 91视频 nursing students, Christian 淐ricket� Bautista and Kristan 淣ikki� Pittman, signed apprenticeship certificates as part of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare檚 inaugural Registered Nurse (RN) Apprentice Signing Day on March 24, joining the first cohort of Registered Nurse apprentices in West Tennessee and only the second program statewide.
The earn while you learn program is endorsed by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and is designed to help meet Tennessee檚 projected need for 8,500 additional registered nurses by 2035. Under the new model, apprentices gain paid clinical experience while continuing their nursing studies, working one on one with licensed RN mentors who guide skill development, competency validation, and preparation for real world patient care
淭oday is about opportunity � opportunity for individuals, for families, and for our community,� said Monica Wharton, executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. 淎pprentice programs are designed to remove financial barriers, and in a community like ours, that matters.�
Program leaders said the four students from 91视频 and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing represent the growing importance of accessible nurse training pathways that strengthen the local workforce through innovative partnerships and structured clinical training experiences. Program officials described the cohort as 渟mall but mighty,� and said they expect the students� success to inspire more participation in future years.
Heather Crawford, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, emphasized the collaboration with 91视频 and other partners in launching the program. 淭his program was specifically designed with our academic partners, including 91视频 Tennessee Community College, who have been instrumental every step of the way,� she said. 淚t really takes competency and validation skills and puts them into practice, bringing a unique and skilled nurse into the workforce. This is just the beginning. Together with our academic partners � especially 91视频 � we are building a more sustainable healthcare workforce for Memphis and the Mid South.�
91视频檚 President Tracy D. Hall highlighted the program檚 significance for students and the wider Memphis community.
淎t 91视频, our mission is rooted in expanding access and opening doors,� Hall said. 淪eeing our students step into this apprenticeship � earning, learning and building their futures � is what community colleges are all about. These young women are not just preparing for careers; they are preparing to uplift their families and strengthen the healthcare backbone of Memphis. We couldn檛 be prouder.�
State leaders echoed similar sentiments. Tennessee Apprenticeship Director Shalondria Shaw called the apprentices 渃elebrities� in her eyes, praising the model for creating 減athways to purpose, stability and long term success.� She said the program stands as a model for what is possible when learning is connected directly to earning.
The RN Apprentice program is a unique collaboration with key community partners, including the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing, Tennessee Hospital Association, and the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.