Alabama
Grant Number: D19HP09260-01
Project Title: Creating
a Diverse Professional Nursing Workforce
through Learning and Practice Communities
Applicant Organization: Troy
University School of Nursing
Address: 400 Pell Avenue,
Collegeview Building, Troy, AL 36082
Project Director: Cindy
McCoy, RN, PhD and Bernita Hamilton,
RN, PhD
Phone: 334-670-3428
Fax: 334-670-3744
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
Troy University School of Nursing has
a tradition of excellence in providing
nursing education. We are located in the
southern portion of Alabama, and enjoy
a rich history of providing education
to the educationally and economically
disadvantaged student from the rural South.
However, as the demand for professional
nurses increases, we realized the need
to increase the opportunities for success
for our disadvantaged students. Based
on an assessment of our students, graduates,
and health care agencies in the area,
we have identified the need for assistance
in increasing the professional nursing
workforce in this geographic area.
The need for this project is evidenced
in that this geographic area is primarily
rural, medically underserved, and contains
areas designated as nursing shortage areas.
In addition, the health issues of the
population are such that could be positively
impacted by the increase in the number
of professional nurses and their emphasis
on health promotion. The educational attainment
of the nurses in this area is primarily
at the Associate Degree level or below.
The cultural composition of the nursing
workforce is not proportionate to the
cultural composition of the population.
Students from this area are educationally
or economically disadvantaged, and therefore
at risk for academic failure.
Troy University is committed to promoting
student retention and student success;
however the focus of this project will
be specifically on students working toward
a baccalaureate degree in nursing. The
activities included in this project will
include academic and financial support
of pre-nursing students, the creation
of learning communities for pre-nursing
majors, workshops on critical thinking,
test-taking, computer skills; tutorial
assistance in communication, math, and
science, as well as peer mentoring. Retention
activities for students enrolled in the
nursing clinical courses will include
NCLEX preparation, tutorial assistance,
and enhanced clinical experiences. Student
stipends will be awarded to qualifying
students who participate full time in
the project activities. Scholarships will
be awarded to students entering the nursing
sequence. In addition, faculty development
for working with disadvantaged students
will be provided. We will work with the
health care agencies in this area to promote
the use of externships as recruiting tools,
and to identify other methods of student
retention and placement.
Through the creation of learning communities
for our students, along with academic
and financial support activities, we will
increase the success of economically and
educationally disadvantaged students,
particularly minority students, in the
attainment of a baccalaureate degree in
nursing. With the creation of a practice
community composed of the health care
agencies in this area, we will work to
increase the return of graduates to this
area of need, thereby increasing the diversity
of professional nurses in the workforce.
Grant Number: D19HP09261-01
Project Title: Enrichment
for Academic Nursing Success
Applicant Organization:
University
of Alabama School of Nursing at Birmingham
Address: NB 108 1530
3rd Ave South Birmingham, AL
35294-1210
Project Director: Pamela
Autrey, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN
Phone: 205-975-1964
Fax: 205-996-7157
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
The proposed project is designed to increase
Alabama’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing
(BSN) prepared registered nurse (RN) workforce
by providing educational opportunities
for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
including racial and ethnic minorities.
The Enrichment for Academic Nursing Success
(EANS) program will focus on pre-entry
preparation, retention, and provision
of scholarships and stipends to support
disadvantaged and minority students to
complete the BSN degree, pass the NCLEX,
and become RNs. The project supports
the Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr.)
goals to: 1) Eliminate
Health Barriers; 2) Eliminate Health Disparities;
3) Assure Quality of Care; and 4) Improve
Public Health and Health Care Systems.
The project also supports Healthy People
2010 and Alabama Health Professions 2010
priorities. The purposes of the project
are to: 1) increase the proportion of
BSN graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds
and minority groups in Alabama’s nursing
workforce (BHPr. Goal, 1; Healthy People
2010); and 2) increase access to quality
care by increasing the number and diversity
of BSN nurses to provide care in the state,
region and nation (BHPR Goals, 2, 3, &
4; Healthy People 2010). Alabamians
carry a disproportionate burden of suffering
and disease and rank 45th among
states on health indicators. Disease and
mortality are particularly high in the
inner city of Birmingham and the underserved
rural counties of the Black Belt region,
home to large numbers of impoverished
African Americans. The explosive growth
of Hispanics (326% increase since 1990)
has also added to the population experiencing
poor access to care and increased morbidity
and mortality. Alabama ranks 49th
in the nation for numbers of health professional
shortage areas, and The National Center
for Health Workforce Analysis (2006) predicts
that Alabama’s supply of RNs will need
to increase by 31% by 2020, with the demand
increasing 41%. There is an urgent need
for greater numbers of RNs and nurse leaders
from Alabama’s disadvantaged/minority
populations since minority nurses represent
only 13.8% of the RN workforce while the
state has a minority population of 29%.
The EANS program will partner with one
urban and two rural high schools, one
community college, and one university
to create a pipeline for recruitment of
disadvantaged/minority students into nursing.
The 3-year project will feature: 1) a
creative pre-entry program for 33 high
school students and 18 college pre-nursing
and associate degree nursing majors; 2)
a multifaceted recruitment and retention
program for 54 disadvantaged/minority
nursing students with a graduation rate
of 89%; 3) an annual institute for 75
of the state’s BSN nursing faculty to
enhance their knowledge of health disparities,
culturally sensitive care, and strategies
for ensuring disadvantaged students’ success;
4) an annual 3-credit hour elective for
54 EANS students to strengthen their knowledge
of health disparities, vulnerable populations,
and the delivery of culturally sensitive
care; and 5) a stipend and scholarship
program for 105 EANS students.
Grant Number: D19HP09263-01
Project Title: Recruiting
and Retaining Minorities in Baccalaureate
Nursing Program
Applicant Organization: Tuskegee
University Department of Nursing
Address: 209 Basil O’Connor
Hall, Tuskegee, Alabama 36088
Project Director: Cordelia
Chinwe Nnedu, PhD, RNC, WHNP,
ARNP
Phone: (334) 727 8185
Fax: (334) 727 5461
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
This project addresses Title VIII of
the Public Health Service Act, Section
821 which focuses on Nursing Workforce
Diversity and authorizes grants to meet
the cost of special projects to increase
nursing education opportunities for individuals
who are minority and/or from disadvantaged
backgrounds. This project proposes the
implementation of activities that will
address (1) pre-entry preparation, (2)
retention activities, (3) cultural competence,
and (4) financial support.
Purpose: The purpose
of this project is to increase the number
of baccalaureate degree prepared nurses
who are from ethnic minority and/or disadvantaged
backgrounds through educational enhancement
and supportive activities designed to
(1) increase the awareness of minorities
and/or disadvantaged middle and high school
students of health profession careers;
(2) increase the retention rate of students
occurring during the pre-professional
and professional phase; (3) prepare a
culturally competent nurse; and (4) provide
financial support.
Methodology: Intense
recruitment strategies to increase the
target population awareness of the nursing
program at Tuskegee University will target
seniors from high schools in Macon County
and contiguous counties (Lee, Russell,
Bullock, Tallapoosa, Elmore) and counties
of residence of the largest number of
students currently enrolled in the University
(Jefferson, Montgomery, and Lee). The
target population for recruitment activities
will include the health profession majors
at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
and Alabama State University, Montgomery,
Alabama, and those students classified
as undecided majors at Tuskegee University.
Strategies to increase the retention rate
include tutorials, comprehensive counseling,
mentoring, and supplemental reviews. Supplementary
reviews will include audio/visual aids
and computerized interactive learning
modules on selected topics and interactive
tutorial video. Strategies employed to
increase the acceptance rate of applicants
to the nursing program include (1) tutorials
in preparation for ACT/SAT, (2) seminars
for high school counselors, (3) the establishment
of a Future Nurses of America Organization
(FNAO), and (4) a summer enrichment program.
Faculty cultural development workshops
will be conducted in the areas of (1)
self assessment of cultural competence,
(2) the influence of culture on student
learning, (3) scope and sequence of curriculum
content and teaching strategies, and (4)
clinical learning experiences that will
enhance the student’s ability to achieve
a level of cultural competence and skills
necessary to provide culturally competent
care. Stipends are requested for thirty
(30) students at a rate of $2,500 per
year. Scholarships are requested for twenty
(16) students at a rate of $2,500 per
year.
Evaluation: The strategies
used to evaluate the outcomes and/or effectiveness
of this project will consist of both qualitative
and quantitative data to facilitate formative
and summative evaluation. Self-report
instruments will be used to evaluate all
teaching-learning activities related to
the pre-entry program, tutorial, and retention
activities.
Georgia
Grant Number: D19HP10727-01
Project Title: Prescription
for Academic Success Program
Applicant Organization: Georgia
Southwestern State University, School
of Nursing
Address: 800 Georgia
Southwestern State University Drive, Americus,
GA 31709-4376
Project Director: Dr.
Leisa Easom, Chair, School of Nursing,
Associate
Phone: 229-931-2286
Fax: 229-931-2288
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
This proposal seeks support to establish
a program of academic success for students
from economically and educationally disadvantaged
backgrounds (including minority students)
in order to eliminate health barriers,
improve health-care quality, and further
cultural diversity in the rural nursing
workforce of Southwest Georgia. The overall
goal of this project is to increase the
number of registered nurses graduating
from Georgia Southwestern State University
(GSW) by 50%. To accomplish this
goal, the project will support and mentor,
both academically and socially, a total
of 50 students over the three year grant
period. For all students in the program,
a variety of supports will be provided
based on an Academic Risk Appraisal created
for each student highlighting the student’s
strengths and needs. A Prescription for
Academic Success (PAS) will be generated
by a Circle of Support to guide the students
and faculty/staff in connecting with the
resources they require to assure academic
success. The PAS will define roles and
responsibilities of the student and other
members of the student’s support team
and will be generated with input from
the student as well as a Circle of Support
team. Academic success will be achieved
through support, academic and social mentoring,
skills training, individualized instruction,
additional opportunities for nursing practice
skills, an Academic Risk Appraisal, and
a PAS tailored to student strengths and
weaknesses. To disseminate project results,
we will share the products developed from
this project with other schools of Nursing
nationally through creation of a web link
for easy access, make academic presentations
at national conferences, and prepare publications
for peer- reviewed journals.
Hawaii
Grant Number: D19HP09326-01
Project Title: Program
for the Retention of Nursing Students
(PRNs)
Applicant Organization: University
of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Nursing
and Dental Hygiene
Address: 2528 Mccarthy
Mall, Webster 318, Honolulu, Hi 96822
Project Director: Debra
D. Mark, RN, PhD
Phone: (808) 956-5324
Fax: (808) 956-3257
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
Needs Assessment: One
goal of Healthy People 2010 is to improve
access to comprehensive, high-quality
health care services in order to eliminate
health disparities and increase the quality
and years of healthy life for all persons
in the United States. A diverse, representative
nursing workforce is part of the solution
to improving health status indicators
for disadvantaged and rural populations.
Access to nursing services is complicated
by the current and projected nursing shortage.
In Hawaii, the shortage is estimated to
be twice that of the national shortage
with a 24% shortfall in 2020. Because
the State is island-based and disproportionately
populated, the outer islands, consisting
of mostly rural and underserved areas,
will experience the nursing shortage to
an even greater extent than the island
of O’ahu. A representative nursing workforce
is also important for making improvements
in health status indicators since minority
health professionals are best able to
provide culturally competent nursing care
and are more apt to serve in underserved
areas. Hawai’i currently has a disproportionately
larger number of nurses who are Female
and Caucasian as compared to the State’s
population and fewer African-American,
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Mixed
(two or more races), and Hispanic nurses.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Program for the
Retention of Nursing students (PRNs)
is to improve the nursing workforce diversity
in Hawai’i through a program of educational
opportunities and support in order to
improve success as measured by graduation
rates and NCLEX-RN licensure for individuals
from disadvantaged backgrounds in rural
Hawai’i.
Methodology:
PRNs consists of the implementation and
evaluation of three separate elements:
(a) A Retention Program that will serve
to diminish academic and social barriers
by providing tutorial resources and a
support structure; (b) A Pre-Entry Educational
Program that will decrease academic barriers
by improving test-taking, writing, and
computer skills prior to entry into nursing
school; and (c) Financial support as part
of the Student Stipend and Scholarship
Program to decrease environmental barriers
that disadvantaged students typically
cite as a major reason for attrition.
The target population for this program
is educationally or economically disadvantaged
nursing students at Hawai’i Community
College, Kaua’i Community College, and
Maui Community College. The goals are
to increase the number of: (a) Diverse
role models in the community, thereby
diminishing racial/ethnic disparities
in the nursing workforce; (b) Graduating
disadvantaged nurses resulting in the
provision of culturally competent nursing
care and a reduction of health disparities
in rural Hawai’i; and (c) NCLEX-RN licensed
disadvantaged nurses who will ensure safe,
competent nursing care to their rural
communities.
Massachusetts
Grant Number: D19HP09221-01
Project Title: Bring
Diversity to Nursing (BDN)
Applicant Organization: University
of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of
Nursing
Address: 3 Solomont Way,
Suite 2, Lowell, MA 01854-5 126
Project Director: Karen
Devereaux Melillo, Project Director
Phone: 978 934-4417
Fax: 978 934-2052
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the University of Massachusetts
Lowell, Department of Nursing’s proposed
program, Bring Diversity to Nursing
(BDN), is to recruit, retain and graduate
high-quality minority and economically
disadvantaged nursing students. The BDN
program will provide access for minority/disadvantaged
students into the nursing profession through
pre-entry and recruitment efforts that
reach out to local elementary, middle
and high schools; rigorous retention efforts
that provide tailored educational experience
and well-coordinated mentoring system;
and financial support that helps qualified
minority/disadvantaged students to become
professional nurses.
UML is located in the Merrimack Valley,
where the two largest cities are Lowell
and Lawrence. Both cities have combined
Hispanic (73.7%) and Asian (19.9%) populations
that are disproportionately higher than
state averages (6.8% and 3.9%, respectively),
and these populations suffer from significant
socioeconomic and health disparities.
In Lawrence, 74.8% of the population lives
below the poverty level, while 50%
in Lowell do. In a survey of Massachusetts
students graduating from Baccalaureate
nursing programs (MACN, 2004), it was
reported that only 3.8% of all graduating
RN students were of Hispanic and 5%
of Asian backgrounds. Given these
demographics, it is clear that the RN
workforce does not reflect the composition
of the population living in the Merrimack
Valley and therefore is inadequate to
meet the needs of the diverse cultures.
The unique values, beliefs, practices
and customs of these diverse communities
are not well understood by healthcare
providers. As such, culturally competent
nursing care is not readily available
within the focus communities.
The BDN program objectives are to: (1)
improve access to the nursing profession
by recruiting minority and disadvantaged
students through pre-entry initiatives
at the elementary, middle and high school
levels, (2) increase culturally responsive
and high quality health care by graduating
diverse nurse who provide nursing services
to diverse populations, (3) demonstrate
the efficacy of a rigorous student nurse
retention program, (4) enhance faculty
knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural
competency, student support, and diversity
in underrepresented, at-risk students,
and (5) provide stipends, scholarships,
and educational technologies to qualified
minority/disadvantaged students who are
accepted to and successfully progress
in the BDN program. The project activities
center on four areas: pre-entry initiatives,
rigorous retention efforts, faculty and
community support and mentoring, and continued
feedback and monitoring.
The community partnership proposed by
the UML BDN Nursing Program with the Lowell
and Lawrence public schools and community
health care providers will strengthen
the occupational, economic and social
characteristics of the community by increasing
diversity in the nursing workforce. Specific
recruitment and retention objectives and
plans are detailed, including precise
methods of evaluation, data to be collected,
time frames and analysis plans, all of
which are replicable for other inner city
colleges and universities. The BDN program
goal to prepare increasing numbers of
minority and disadvantaged nurses will
be vital to the Lowell and Lawrence communities
in addressing health care needs and in
reducing health disparities among the
target populations.
Michigan
Grant Number: D19HP04521-04-01
Project Title: UM-Flint
Initiatives for Nursing Diversity (UM-FTND)
Applicant Organization: University
of Michigan-Flint
Address: 303 E. Kearsley
Street, 2205 WSW, Flint MI 48502-1950
Project Director: Augustine
0. Agho, Ph.D.
Phone: (810) 237-6503
Fax: (810) 237-6532
Project Period:
July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
The UM-Flint Initiatives for Nursing
Diversity (UM-FIND) project will address
the nursing workforce shortage by providing
retention activities, pre-entry preparation,
and/or student scholarships and stipends
for disadvantaged/minority nursing, pre-nursing,
high, and middle school students. The
project will serve economically and educationally
disadvantaged students at the University
of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) and the Flint
Community School District, where 81 percent
of students are minorities and 40 percent
are living below the poverty level. Their
ability to successfully enroll and graduate
from baccalaureate nursing programs is
challenged by a lack of preparation for
admission and success in higher education,
standardized test scores that are significantly
below the state and county average, and
the inability to afford a college education.
The purpose of this project is
to increase the level of diversity and
cultural competence in Flint’s nursing
workforce by providing disadvantaged/minority
students at the middle school, high school,
associate degree and baccalaureate levels
with the skills and resources to successfully
compete for admission, enrollment, progression
and graduation from the Bachelor of Science
in Nursing (BSN) program at the University
of Michigan-Flint. Consistent with Healthy
People 2010, the following objectives
have been established for this purpose.
Objective 1: To introduce
45 disadvantaged/minority middle
school students to nursing as
a career choice and provide academic and
social enrichment services to enhance
their potential for success. Objective
2: To engage the interest of
75 disadvantaged/minority high school
students in pursuing a career in nursing
and provide them with the financial, academic,
and social support to successfully enroll
in UM-Flint’s pre-nursing program. Objective
3: To increase enrollment of
disadvantaged/minority students in the
UMF BSN program by year three to 60 (35%
increase over baseline average of
43). Objective 4:
By year 3, 75 minority/disadvantaged
RNs will enroll in the RN/BSN program
and 80% will graduate or be on target
for an on time graduation. Objective
5: By year 3, 180 minority/disadvantaged
students will enroll in UM-FIND cohort
services and 100 minority/disadvantaged
students will graduate from the BSN program
and pass the NCLEX at or above the State
average. Objective 6: To
improve the cultural competence
of BSN cohort students by at least 15%
over the 06-07 baseline, as measured
by the scores of BSN graduates on the
Cultural Competence Survey. Objective
7:
To provide 45 stipends to high school
and pre-nursing pre-entry and 40 stipends
and scholarships to retention students.
UM-Flint pre-nursing students and nursing
(Basic & RN/BSN) students will receive
an array of personal, professional, and
academic enrichment services to facilitate
their admission, progression, and enrollment
to the BSN program. Activities at the
middle school and high school levels will
motivate disadvantaged/minority students
to pursue a career in nursing, and equip
them for successful application and enrollment
in nursing programs.
North Carolina
Grant Number: D19HP09262-01
Project Title: Crossing
Borders: Empowering Nursing
Students for Academic Success
Applicant Organization: School
of Nursing, University of North Carolina
at Charlotte
Address: 9201 University
City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223-000 1
Project Director: Lienne
D. Edwards
Phone: 704-687-7974
Fax: 704-687-6017
Project Period: July
1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
Crossing Borders: Empowering Nursing
Students for Academic Success is designed
to increase nursing education opportunities
for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds,
including racial and ethnic minorities,
who are underrepresented among registered
nurses. The project will provide activities
to increase academic competency at a pre-entry
level, design a consistent yet individualized
retention program, while providing a combination
of summer stipends and academic year scholarship
for the participants to support their
educational endeavor and minimize competing
needs during the educational period. Because
increasing the number of diverse nurses
will substantially benefit underserved
populations, the Crossing Borders
program meets the requirements for funding
preference.
The United States has become increasingly
diverse, but nursing has been unable to
provide a workforce with sufficient diversity
to meet the needs of the changing population.
A diverse group of nursing professionals
can help to bridge the gap between the
growing populations of racial and ethnic
minorities and access to healthcare. Educationally
disadvantaged students face multiple barriers
as they enter higher education. Students
are constantly crossing borders related
to culture, expectations, family, and
educational institutions. Without adequate
social, financial, and educational support,
borders often become barriers.
The Crossing Borders: Empowering Nursing
Students for Academic Success will
enable students to gain skills necessary
to navigate the borders from pre-entry
status to professional practice. The project
is designed for nursing students who meet
program eligibility requirements, but
as a result of the rank of their application,
have been unable to be admitted to the
limited number of seats in the program.
In the first phase the Pre-Entry Preparation
Program (PEPP) students will take one
upper division nursing course and participate
in the PEPP Crossing into Nursing Support
program. Success in an upper division
course will establish their credibility
and increase the student’s confidence.
The support program will include study
skills and time management workshops and
diagnostic evaluations that will be used
to assist the student and Project Manager
to design Collaborative Education Plans
(CEP5). The CEPs will give the students
a voice in planning ways to bridge cross-cultural,
educational, and social borders.
Students who are successful in the PEPP
program will matriculate to the Crossing
Borders program and complete the remaining
upper division nursing courses. A clinical
externship enrichment experience will
be provided in the summer semester. In
the associated Supporting Nursing Achievement
Program (SNAP), students progress
through a series of activities to address
transitions through the curriculum and
into professional nursing practice. As
part of a cultural service learning experience,
students will work with a variety of urban
high school Health Occupation Students
of America (HOSA) programs. CEPs will
continue to incorporate a self-reflective
process initiated in the pre-entry program
while empowering student’s for success
in the nursing program.
Pennsylvania
Grant Number: D19HP09222-01
Project Title: RN Achievement
Applicant Organization: Community
College of Allegheny County (CCAC), Pittsburgh,
PA
Address: CCAC North Campus,
8701 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Project Director: Janet
Colville, MSN, Associate Dean of Nursing
Phone: 412-369-4109
Fax: 412-369-4175
Project Period: July
1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
Following an extensive review of recruitment
and retention issues in the Associate
Degree Nursing Program related to enrollment
and persistence of disadvantaged students,
the Community College of Allegheny County
seeks grant support to create new programs
that will:
- Create a high school recruitment
program;
- Develop a pre-entry program
for students preparing to enter
the Nursing -Program;
- Support student retention
in the nursing program;
- Support students with stipends/scholarships
at appropriate levels. The
program particularly will provide:
- Introduction of high school students
to nursing;
- The development of an outcomes-based
pre-entry program for a group of economically
and/or educationally disadvantaged students;
- Extension of academic and clinical
support to disadvantaged students;
- Engagement of students in learning
interventions specifically designed
to increase retention in the nursing
program;
- Financial support to qualified disadvantaged
students;
- Attainment and retention of culturally
competent nursing faculty and students;
- Achievement of greater numbers of
nursing graduates from groups currently
underrepresented among registered nurses
in the Pittsburgh area.
Along with a high school recruitment
program, grant activities will focus on
three levels of students in a structured
Pre-Entry Program, Year I Nursing, and
Year II Nursing. Three cohorts of 12 students
each will be formed through an application
and selection committee process, representing
one cohort for the three levels of the
program for a total of 36 students each
year. Students in the Pre-Entry Program
will receive stipends to
support their pre-entry education. The
pre-entry program will build strong skills
in math, computer proficiency, medical
terminology and will include a new “Acculturation
to Nursing” course, to prepare students
for the profession. The project will also
provide identified retention strategies,
including supplemental instruction and
learning communities at all three levels
of the program to increase retention and
build academic strength. Qualified students
in Years I and II will participate in
learning communities and will receive
tutoring and supportive services to allow
persistence in the Nursing Program. Nursing
Program cohorts will be eligible for scholarships
to support tuition and allowable
expenses for their matriculation through
the program. A unique system of nursing
faculty case management will
pair students with nursing faculty members
to provide mentoring, guidance, and support.
Both faculty and students will engage
in cultural competence assessments
and in programs and presentations designed
to increase cultural awareness and the
importance of cultural competence in healthcare.
This project meets HRSA’s BHPr Goal 1:
Eliminating health barriers by assuring
an appropriate supply and distribution
of nurses, and Goal 2: Eliminating health
disparities by assuring the availability
of quality healthcare for populations
bearing a disproportionate share of disease
and disability.
Virginia
Grant Number: D19HP09327-01
Project Title: Comprehensive
Assisted Learning and Mentoring Program
for Nursing
Applicant Organization: Virginia
Appalachian Tri-College Nursing Program
at SwVCC
Address: P. 0. Box SVCC,
Richlands, VA 24641
Project Director: Gwendalyn
Slone R. N. M.B.A.
Phone: 276-964-7363
Fax: 276-964-7695
Project Period: July
1, 2008 – June 30, 2011
ABSTRACT
This project addresses Southwest Virginia’s
nursing workforce shortage by providing
pre-entry preparation, retention activities,
and scholarships for 250 educationally
and economically disadvantaged students.
In 2006, 100% of the VATNP nursing
students met HRSA’s disadvantaged criteria.
Program objectives align with the Bureau
of Health Professions objectives to eliminate
health disparities, to eliminate health
barriers, and to assure quality of care.
The Comprehensive Assisted Learning
and Mentoring Program for Nursing will
offer several initiatives to increase
enrollment and retention of nursing students
in the Virginia Appalachian Tri-College
Nursing Program. Program initiatives include:
- A Nursing Summer Camp highlighting
nursing careers to sixty (60) disadvantaged
juniors and seniors from 30 high schools
in Southwest Virginia;
- A Fast Track Academic Remediation
Program offering academic strengthening
exercises in a Fast Track format to
forty-five (45) educationally-disadvantaged
students who have declared nursing as
their intended career track;
- A Comprehensive Assisted Learning
and Mentoring Program to provide
- supplemental instruction, mentoring,
skills enhancement, M.A.S.T.E.R. advising,
and academic support to all nursing
students meeting the eligibility criteria;
- Current Topics in Geriatric
Health Assessment and Long Term Care
Planning, a
- seminar series to increase awareness
of health promotion and disease prevention
in the geriatric population;
- Creating Cultural Awareness
and Competence seminar series;
- Scholarships will
be offered on a competitive basis to
40 disadvantaged students with preferential
consideration given to male and minority
nursing students.
- Program Outcomes will
include:
- 20% increase in enrollments of male
and minority students over the project
period;
- 20% increase in nursing retention
and graduation of NCLEX-eligible nursing
students;
- 80% of nursing graduates will obtain
employment in regional MUAs;
- 90% of nursing students will pass
a competency examination addressing
the healthcare needs of and nursing
implications for the geriatric populations
of Southwest Virginia.
- 90% of students will successfully
complete a cultural competence training
seminar.
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