ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – In partnership with Albany Technical College, Phoebe has created a facility where students can pursue training to become nurses, nursing assistants or phlebotomists while living in the new apartments on Phoebe’s campus.

Albany Tech nursing students will spend the first semester completing prerequisites at the community college before moving to Phoebe for their final four semesters.

“In the beginning, they spend most of their time in the classroom. Then they’ll be introduced to the skills lab, learning specific skills and applying what they’ve learned in the book. In the second year of nursing, they’ll go to the hospital. That’s where they’ll get experience and meet real people. It’ll evolve, every day will be a little different,” said Scott Steiner, president and CEO of Phoebe Putney.

The ground floor of the Living & Learning Community building includes classrooms, labs and simulations where students can practice before working with real patients.

“It’s a very multifunctional space that the technical college system has designed to be as flexible as possible in the near future. There’s a lot of space for students, study spaces, quiet areas, common areas. We really wanted to make it modern and state-of-the-art and I think we’ve succeeded in that,” Steiner said.

On the upper floor of the community center, 80 apartments will be built, ranging from studios and one-bedroom apartments to some two-bedroom apartments.

Students do not have to live on Phoebe’s property to participate in this program. However, Phoebe will cover living expenses if students find employment after graduation.

There is a shortage of healthcare professionals in Georgia, and both Phoebe and Albany Technical hope this partnership will bring more nurses to this part of the country and to the Phoebe Putney health system.

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