Prisma Health announces $1M gift to PTC for expansion of nursing and health sciences training opportunities
Prisma Health has committed $1 million to Piedmont Technical College (PTC) Foundation to increase access to nursing education and health sciences training on the PTC Laurens County campus. The investment will strengthen a workforce pipeline aimed at addressing nursing and other healthcare profession shortages in Laurens County and the surrounding region.
Details of the three-year program will be announced publicly Wednesday, Sept. 11, by Prisma Health Chief Executive Officer Justin M. Benfield and PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers at the “Maximizing Our Future Upstate Summit,” hosted by Ten at the Top at the Greenville Convention Center.
“This partnership underscores our shared commitment to enhancing healthcare education in Laurens County,” Rivers said. “With Prisma Health’s generous support this program will allow an increasing number of students to build foundational knowledge for future growth and success.”
Officials at Prisma Health echo this sentiment. “Investing in nursing and health science education is an investment in the future health of our community," said Benfield, who serves as CEO for Prisma Health Laurens County Hospital and Prisma Health Hillcrest Hospital. "We are proud to collaborate with Piedmont Tech to develop a robust pipeline of skilled nurses and health sciences professionals who will serve the needs of Laurens County. It is exciting to work with educators to envision the best and most advanced learning environments locally to help students feel prepared and confident to serve patients in clinical and laboratory settings.”
The funding is Prisma Health’s latest initiative supporting workforce development in the healthcare sector for South Carolina. Innovative programs and academic partnerships with universities and technical colleges across the state and programs such as youth apprenticeships in nursing for college credit, MedEx Academy and Project Search lead to rewarding career paths across the wide variety of clinical and non-clinical jobs offered in healthcare.
PTC students in the Prisma Health Laurens Nursing Ladder Initiative will have an opportunity to complete the following credentials, culminating in an Associate Degree in Nursing:
• Patient Care Technician (PCT) – One semester
• Practical Nursing (PN) – Three semesters
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
The Prisma Health funding will contribute to three new staff positions and facility updates on the PTC Laurens County Campus with anticipated completion by late 2025. Facility updates will include creation of learning spaces equipped to simulate real-world clinical and laboratory environments. PTC will enroll up to 60 students per year in the first three years of the program. The expansion will also enhance training opportunities for other healthcare-related certificate programs for tracks such as radiology technician, lab technician, ultrasound and medical assistants.
Jennifer Rogers, chief nursing officer for Prisma Health Laurens County Hospital, said, “This collaboration is a tremendous win for improving local access to top-notch healthcare career training. I’m excited for both the prospective students we’ll attract to healthcare as well as our current team members who’ll be able to take advantage of professional development and advance their careers right here in Laurens.”
As a result of the Prisma Health funding, PTC officials anticipate that enrollment and completion rates will increase in each section of the nursing career ladder program. "Graduates who complete all levels of the career ladder will excel as registered nurses, equipped with both practical experience and advanced clinical knowledge," said Dr. Keli Fewox, PTC’s vice president for academic affairs.
A report issued earlier this year by the federal Health Services Administration warned that South Carolina could have the nation’s seventh-largest shortage of registered nurses by 2036. This partnership directly addresses this looming crisis by expanding educational opportunities and producing more qualified nursing professionals.
About Piedmont Technical College:
Piedmont Technical College (PTC) is a comprehensive two-year college offering hands-on training in the latest technologies and exacting skill sets that are most sought after by employers in our region. PTC contributes to the economic growth and development of the largest and most diverse region of the South Carolina Technical College System, Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry and Saluda counties. Throughout the region, PTC serves over 8,000 students annually.
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company and the largest health care organization in South Carolina. The company has 29,309 team members, 18 acute and specialty hospitals, 2,827 licensed beds, 305 practice sites, and more than 5,400 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Along with this innovative network, Prisma Health serves almost 1.5 million unique patients annually in its 21-county market area that covers 50% of South Carolina. Connect with Prisma Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Visit www.PrismaHealth.org.