HRSA $2.8 Million Grant Will Enhance RN Role in Primary Care
抖M女仆鈥檚 has received a $2.8 million grant from the (HRSA) for a four-year project titled, 鈥淐aring-based Academic Partnerships in Excellence (CAPE) RNs in Primary Care,鈥 to recruit and prepare nursing students and registered nurses (RNs) to practice the full scope of their license in community-based primary care teams. This latest HRSA grant is the third awarded to 抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Nursing over three consecutive years and totaling $6.4 million.
抖M女仆 has partnered with the and their interprofessional health care teams who provide services in 26 primary care clinics; in Miami; in Fort Lauderdale; in Boynton Beach; and 抖M女仆鈥檚 in West Palm Beach. 抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Nursing is working in concert with these partners to increase access to care while emphasizing prevention and control of chronic diseases in non-institutional settings.
Based on the 2016 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities report, in comparison to the other 50 states in the United States, ranked weak on person-centered care, patient-centered access to care, and chronic care.
鈥淭he overarching goal of our project is to create healthier communities in rural and underserved populations,鈥 said , Dr.PH, ARNP, project director, associate dean of academic programs and a professor in 抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Nursing. 鈥淲ith this latest grant from HRSA, we will educate and provide clinical training to establish a primary care workforce of students with a bachelor of science in nursing degree who are practice ready and willing to serve our veterans and patients in rural and underserved communities.鈥澛
According to the , Florida is home to approximately 1.5 million veterans and has the third largest veteran population in the United States, behind California and Texas. About 773,284 veterans in Florida are age 65 years and older.
In addition, Florida鈥檚 population has increased 196 percent from 1970 to 2010, including its aging population of approximately 3.3 million Medicare recipients seeking primary care and behavioral/mental health services. Florida鈥檚 population is increasingly diverse with Hispanics representing 23 percent of the state鈥檚 population and Blacks representing 16 percent 鈥 proportions that are above the national average. Minority populations also experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, asthma, hepatitis B, and obesity. These diverse patient populations present unique challenges in Florida.
鈥淭his grant awarded to Dr. Edwards and her entire team, Drs. Charlotte Barry, Lynne Dunphy, Dawn Hawthorne and Beth King, will position the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing as a leader in the national initiative to enhance the role of registered nurses in primary care and promote health equity in this region,鈥 said , Ph.D., dean of 抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Nursing. 鈥淲e are proud to join forces with our outstanding project partners to help fill the gap in the delivery of primary cares services, especially for our veterans and vulnerable populations.鈥 聽聽
Working together with its community-based partners who share a mission of delivering high quality and accessible primary care services, this innovative educational program will support a cadre of diverse primary care oriented BSN students; will facilitate the development of RN preceptor鈥檚 knowledge, skills, and experiences to practice at the full scope of their license; will co-create and implement evidence-based, relevant learning experiences; and will build a value-added model and team to develop and implement strategies to connect program graduates with primary care employment opportunities that serve veterans and rural and underserved populations.
抖M女仆鈥檚 College of Nursing is internationally known for its commitment to nursing as a discipline focused on nurturing the wholeness of persons and the environment through Caring. The College advances Caring knowledge through education, practice, research and scholarship to transform care locally, nationally and globally. Currently, the College of Nursing offers bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, DNP and Ph.D. degree programs with approximately 1,600 nursing students enrolled in its programs. For more information, visit .
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