College of the Desert brings new nurses to the workforce

College of the Desert is having a Nurse Pinning Ceremony on Friday, bringing 28 new nurses into the workforce.

From simulations in the classroom to "clinicals" at local hospitals, that has been the life of the last few years for the 2022 College of the Desert nursing graduates.

Ysmael Mercado is the valedictorian of his graduating class. He's now completed programs for a Certified Nursing Assistant, Licensed Vocational Nurse, and Registered Nurse at College of the Desert.

Getting to this point in time wasn't easy. He had to juggle working to pay bills, school work, and taking care of his son every other week.

“I mainly wanted to be a role model to him. Make sure that even though life gets hard, it’s never an option to give up," said Mercado as his son sat beside him.

Not giving up is the motto Mercado plans to go by as he enters the workforce during a nursing shortage.

The Director of Nursing at College of the Desert, Sarah Fry, said hospitals, in particular, are seeing this shortage and looking to hire its graduates.

This nursing shortage is something that is impacting hospitals across the United States.

Eisenhower Health and Desert Care Network both said it is looking to hire more entry-level nurses.

85% of the COD nursing graduates stay to work in the Coachella Valley. Fry said it can only enroll 30 students per program each semester of the hundreds of applications that are received. She said this is because the program does not have the physical space to be able to grow the program.

But regardless still work to make sure the nurses that do make it through, leave the program confident to take on the role.