Under a new state program aimed at getting more nurses into the workforce, a nursing student in Virginia could soon get paid to work as a nurse extern, patient care technician or nursing assistant while still in school,
The state’s Virginia Nursing Workforce Center is putting $4.8 million toward its new Earn to Learn program, which will fund partnerships between nursing schools and hospitals or other health care providers.
The idea is to give students paid, hands-on experience before they graduate while giving health care providers an earlier connection to potential future employees.
“We want to make sure that we encourage and let future nurses know that the nursing profession is extremely rewarding, and that staying in Virginia, caring for Virginians, can actually help us lead the nation in fixing this workforce shortage,” said Yvette Dorsey, director of the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center.
The program will award up to 12 two-year grants, with applicants eligible for up to $400,000 each, Dorsey said.
Exactly how much students would earn will depend on the partnership. The state program does not set a standard wage, and participating schools and health care providers will decide how much students are paid, Dorsey said.
Students could work in entry-level clinical roles such as patient care technicians, nurse externs or certified nursing assistants, depending on their training and qualifications.
After graduating and passing their licensing exams, they could apply for jobs as licensed practical nurses or registered nurses at the same organization, but there is no requirement that they stay where they trained.
Dorsey said students would still go through the employer’s normal hiring process, and participation in Earn to Learn does not guarantee a nursing job after graduation.
The program comes as Virginia faces a looming wave of nurse retirements. According to a 2025 report from the Virginia Department of Health Professions, 21% of registered nurses in the state expect to retire within the next 10 years.
Dorsey said one goal of Earn to Learn is to make the path from nursing school into the workforce more direct.
Unlike a nurse residency program, which typically supports newly licensed nurses during their first year on the job, Earn to Learn is aimed at students who are still completing their nursing education.
By working inside hospitals or other health care settings before graduation, Dorsey said, students can gain experience in the same environments where they may eventually seek full-time jobs.
The center hopes the grants will reach different parts of the state, including rural communities where recruiting and retaining nurses can be particularly difficult.
“We need nurses in Southwest Virginia, in our most rural areas, to be able to support the communities that live there,” Dorsey said.
Dorsey said the presence of organizations such as Sentara Health and Old Dominion University could help position Hampton Roads for future partnerships.
Applications are due Sept. 30. The center expects to notify recipients by Nov. 1, with grant funding distributed beginning in January 2027.
