Nursing receives $2.9 million in grants

Document Type

News Article

Publication Date

7-2011

Campus Unit

University of North Dakota

Abstract

The College of Nursing at the University of North Dakota has received five grants from the federal Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) totaling $2,925,122 to provide program and student support.

Nursing Workforce Diversity, $1,571,137 : This three-year grant (approximately $520,000 per year) will provide program support for the College’s Recruitment/Retention of American Indians into Nursing (RAIN) Program. Funding will allow the RAIN Program to increase the number of American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) students enrolled in the College of Nursing. The RAIN Program was established in 1990 at the College of Nursing and provides academic support services to AI/AN students. RAIN has assisted 154 AI/AN nurses to obtain a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree and 37 to obtain their Masters of Science in Nursing. Of these graduates, 83% have returned to work in their rural, tribal, health manpower shortage areas that they call home.

“The College is extremely pleased to be awarded these federal dollars,” said interim Dean Julie Anderson. “The RAIN Program is a stellar model for the nation in educating American Indian students for careers in nursing. I think their success record speaks very highly of the quality and integrity of the RAIN program in educating future AI/AN nurse leaders.”

Advanced Public Health Nursing, $1,133,922: This three-year competitive continuation grant is an extension of the current Advanced Public Health Nursing (APHN) graduate track that was originally funded by HRSA beginning in 2007. The APHN track prepares nurses for advanced practice nursing care of populations in order to improve the health of communities through disease and injury prevention and health promotion strategies. In addition to providing support to continue the delivery of courses, this new grant will focus on recruitment and retention strategies for disadvantaged students, including Native American nurses. Although still a fairly new graduate track, the APHN track has one of the largest enrollments among similar graduate programs throughout the nation and graduated its first student in May 2011.

Project Director Tracy Evanson said, “The fact that HRSA has provided us with continued funding speaks to the quality of the program. We are excited, with this new grant, to have the opportunity to increase our support to Native American and other disadvantaged students, through strategies such as relationship building and mentorship, in order to insure their success in their graduate studies.”

Nurse Faculty Loan Program, $104,327: In addition to a national nurse shortage, there is also a significant shortage of nurse faculty in higher education. The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is designed to increase the number of nursing students who pursue careers as full-time faculty members. The program provides direct support to students enrolled in the Nurse Educator Master’s degree track or the PhD in Nursing track at the College.

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students $56,168: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program promotes diversity among health profession students and practitioners by providing scholarships to full-time students with financial need from disadvantaged backgrounds, enrolled in health professions and nursing programs. Funding will be allocated to students enrolled in undergraduate nursing, graduate nursing and dietetics.

Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship, $48,183: This grant will provide financial support through traineeships for students enrolled in the College’s graduate program. Funding will support students studying to become nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse educators, and public health nurses.

Nurse Anesthetist Traineeships $11,385: Funding will provide financial support in the form of traineeships to students enrolled as a 2nd or 3rd year student in the College’s nurse anesthesia graduate track.

“There is a high demand for quality healthcare providers at all levels across the nation,” said Anderson. “Students in both nursing and dietetics are eager to put their new knowledge into practice by addressing the growing needs of healthcare in our country. The College aggressively seeks this support in order to provide students with financial resources as they attain this vital education.”

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