College of the Desert is trying to solve the Coachella Valley's nursing shortage with a fast-track nursing program. The program will offer year-round evening and weekend classes.

The Palm Desert campus will admit 120 students over three years beginning September 2004. In its traditional nursing program, the college admits 80 students a year.

"We turn away 20 qualified applicants a semester" because of the lack of space, said Tom Wixon, public relations officer for College of the Desert.

Current nursing students will be completing basic coursework in preparation for the program, and registered nurse enrollment will increase 50 percent between now and 2007, Wixon said in a telephone interview.

Desert Regional Medical Center, John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Eisenhower Medical Center and other donors are putting up $1.3 million to finance the program, Wixon said. A private donor gave $650,000, he said. The money will go to salaries for new faculty members, clerical support and an adviser.

The three hospitals are working with the college to increase the number of nursing students, said Linda Evans, director of business development for John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio.

"It's a good cooperative relationship," she said in telephone interview.

The program will offer 16-week trimesters separated by a two-week break, and students will finish the program in a year and a half. The traditional program takes two years or more.

Existing classrooms and laboratories will be used for the program.