Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services Academy for Nursing Students

Faced with unprecedented demand for behavioral health services amid the well-documented clinical staffing challenges that have impacted many organizations, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services has launched two new initiatives intended to bring new healthcare professionals to Michigan while removing barriers for students seeking a career in the field. Launched in 2022, the Pine Rest Academy for Nursing Students targets the cost of nursing program tuition, an issue which many prospective students told the behavioral health organization is a significant factor in their decision of whether to pursue a career in nursing. 

The Pine Rest Academy offers students accepted to a nursing program at one of several partnering educational institutions up to $40,000 – $10,000 per semester – to offset the cost of their tuition. In exchange, students accept a part-time or per diem role with Pine Rest while in school, offering valuable patient care experience as they study for their career in nursing, and agree to work in a full-time capacity for two years after receiving their nursing license. Pine Rest continues to seek expansion of the Academy for Nursing Students by increasing the number of students within the program as well as establishing additional partnerships with colleges and universities. 

“The Pine Rest Academy gave me the opportunity to earn my nursing degree while continuing to work a flexible schedule in a clinical setting” said Ben Weissenborn, graduate nurse, Pine Rest Academy graduate. “Not having the financial burden of tuition costs made it easier to focus on nursing school and ultimately made it a much less stressful experience. I feel fortunate to have my first nursing job working in an environment that I’m already familiar with.”