Golden West College will be able to admit more nursing students because of a 2-year $90,000 award it received from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, the community college announced.

The Kaiser Permanente grant will pay for an additional nursing instructor, which in turn will allow its program to accept more nursing students, college officials said. Under terms of the grant, 12 nursing students each semester will get clinical experience at the Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Anaheim.

"This agreement demonstrates Kaiser Permanente's commitment to address the nursing shortage," said Mary Townsend, nursing director for Kaiser Permanente. "We're pleased to support Golden West's program in this way."

Golden West nursing students who earn associate degrees can work as registered nurses. The graduates also may go on to earn bachelor's degrees in nursing at 4-year institutions.