Columbus-based OhioHealth is heading back to high school to combat ongoing healthcare staffing issues and recruit future workers.
"OhioHealth is working to create a pipeline of workers, starting at the high school level, to help cover the staffing gaps," Mindy Sanford, senior advisor for workforce development, partnerships and programs, said in a statement shared with Becker's.
Work-Based Learning, a formal program through the Ohio Department of Education, targets high school seniors. Students in the program are in school for half of their time and spend the other half working as paid intern positions, which applies toward graduation requirements.
OhioHealth changed its hiring policy in early 2023 for specific roles to include people ages 16 to 17 years old. The patient support assistant role, a pre-nursing role, is aligned with the Work-Based Learning program that state schools offer.
OhioHealth has hired 22 students from two Ohio schools for paid PSA-intern positions. The students were required to meet specific qualifications from their schools and had to apply, interview and be selected for the program. They were then placed at three OhioHealth hospitals: Dublin (Ohio) Methodist, Doctors Hospital in Columbus and Grove City (Ohio) Methodist.
"The benefit of the program is that the student is surrounded by resources through the school, their on-site mentor and someone who oversees the program for OhioHealth," Ms. Sanford said. "Collectively they have worked over 10,000 hours their senior year. All are getting ready to graduate from high school and have applied for nursing school."
Once graduated from high school, the students have the opportunity to stay at OhioHealth while they go to college and could also qualify for up to $5,250 a year in tuition benefits. When the students graduate from college and pass the board exam, they have the option to begin a nursing role.
OhioHealth has plans to expand to other area schools in 2025 and grow its pharmacy tech trainee positions, which have employed six students in the role since January.