Grant AbstractProject Title: Bringing the Best to Nursing (BBN) Project Director: Linda Dumas Phone: 617-287-7522 Abstract BBNThe purpose of the proposed program, Bringing the Best to Nursing (BBN) is to recruit, retain and graduate 80 high-quality minority and economically disadvantaged nursing students. The BBN will accomplish its goals and objectives by providing scholarships to selected students and by providing needed support to these students to ensure they receive the highest quality, culturally appropriate education, preparing them to be clinically competent, professionally socialized, and compassionate nurses. Underlying our approach is: 1) qualitative and quantitative research that has been conducted to better understand the needs of our nursing students with a focus on high-risk and minority students; 2) recruitment activities at middle and high schools (Kids into Health Careers Initiative); and 3) years of research by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that have provided a model, “A Culture of Community," for working with high-risk and minority students. The latter model emphasizes a minority/disadvantaged student centered approach which provides strong leadership, faculty and university support, peer to peer mentoring, and early intervention. At the national and state levels the nursing shortage is being felt and
the lack of representation of minorities is of concern to improve quality
of health care to the growing minority and aging population. This program
specifically meets the needs of national and state initiatives, including
the national goals of the Bureau of Health Professions and Healthy People
2010, by increasing the number of minority students that will be retained
and will receive a quality and culturally sensitive nursing training.
The program has requested statutory funding preference based on meeting
this need for an increased diversity in the nursing workforce at the state
level and because the students identified are likely to work in underserved
communities based on past programs run by the CNHS. |