Across Illinois and the country, our healthcare systems are understaffed and overstrained. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated and deepened staffing issues, as well as healthcare disparities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 175,900 openings for registered nurses each year through 2029₁, and data forecasts over 300 openings per year for positions in Lake County over the next decade.

At Rosalind Franklin University's (RFU) College of Nursing, we're responding to the tremendous community need for highly-educated, well-supported, and diverse nurses with the NEW Pathway program.

The NEW Pathway program is geared toward three actionable outcomes in the Lake County region:

• nursing workforce development
• community wellness
• education equity