New Nursing Scholarship Program

[rninformatics, DNP, RN]

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Partners with AACN to Launch New Careers

in

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 22, 2008 - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

(RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)

announced today the creation of the RWJF New Careers in Nursing

Scholarship Program, designed to alleviate the nation's nursing shortage

by dramatically expanding the pipeline of students in accelerated

nursing programs. Scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be

awarded to 1500 entry-level nursing students over the next three years.

Preference will be given to students from groups underrepresented in

nursing or from a disadvantaged background.

"The size and scope of this scholarship program is truly unprecedented

in nursing," said AACN President Fay Raines. "We applaud the Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation for making this generous commitment to supporting

professional nursing education programs and for taking a decisive step

toward alleviating this nation's shortage of registered nurses."

Through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, funding

will be available to schools of nursing with entry-level accelerated

programs at the baccalaureate and/or master's level(s). Schools must use

funding to increase the number of students enrolled in accelerated

programs and to enhance efforts to recruit students from groups

underrepresented in nursing or disadvantaged backgrounds. Preference

will be given to schools which show how funding can be used to help

leverage new faculty resources. All applicants must specify the

mentoring and leadership development resources that will be available to

ensure successful completion of the nursing program by accelerated

students.

The program will target many of the issues currently confronting

professional nursing education, including providing support for students

in accelerated nursing programs. Accelerated programs offer the most

efficient route to licensure as a registered nurse for adults who have

already completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in a discipline

other than nursing. Although enrollment in these programs has steadily

increased over the past few years, many potential students are unable to

apply since already having a college degree disqualifies them for most

federal financial aid programs for entry-level students.

The RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program will provide much

needed support for this student population while quickly boosting the

nation's supply of registered nurses. For more information on

accelerated nursing programs, see

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/AcceleratedProg.htm.

By bringing more nurses into the profession at the baccalaureate and

master's degree levels, the new scholarship programs also helps to

address the nation's nurse faculty shortage. Data from the U.S. Health

Resources and Services Administration show that nurses entering the

profession at the baccalaureate level are four times more likely than

other nurses to pursue a graduate degree in nursing, which is the

required credential to teach.

"Besides preparing nurses with the highest level of entry-level

preparation possible, the New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program

will also address one of the root causes of the overarching nursing

shortage," added Dr. Raines. "This is truly a win-win situation for the

nursing profession and for patients who deserve the best care possible."

Furthermore the program targets the need to recruit students from groups

underrepresented in nursing or disadvantaged backgrounds. According to

the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice,

diversifying the nursing profession is essential to meeting the health

care needs of the nation and reducing health disparities that exist

among many underserved populations.

AACN will serve as the National Program Office for this RWJF-funded

initiative and will oversee the grant application submission and review

processes. A National Advisory Committee (NAC) composed of experts from

nursing, healthcare, and the academic arenas will conduct the individual

proposal reviews. For more information, see

http://www.newcareersinnursing.org.

Schools of nursing interested in applying for a scholarship are invited

to review the Call for Proposals (CFP) found online at

http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=3D20301. All

proposals must be submitted electronically through RWJF's Grantmaking

Online system and will be accepted through June 26, 2008. Two Web

conferences are scheduled for May 6, 2008 and June 10, 2008 to provide

guidance to applicants as well as a forum to ask questions. For more

information about the CFP or the applicant Web conferences, contact the

National Program Office at [email protected] or 202-463-6930, extension

232.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and

health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest

philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care

of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of

organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve

comprehensive, meaningful, and timely change. For more than 35 years the

Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced

approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those

it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they

need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime.

http://www.rwjf.org

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national

voice for university and four-year college education programs in

nursing. Representing more than 620 member schools of nursing at public

and private institutions nationwide, AACN's educational, research,

governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs

work to establish quality standards for bachelor's- and graduate-degree

nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those

standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and

promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education,

research, and practice.