The New York University College of Nursing (NYUCN) is pleased to announce its newest Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (RWJF) New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN) scholars. The $50K RWJF grant to NYUCN provides $10k scholarships directly to five students in NYUCN’s accelerated bachelor’s program who are traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing.
Five $10K Scholarships Will Support Training Underrepresented Bachelor’s Nursing Students
“The NICN scholarships provide opportunities for students from underrepresented groups in nursing to develop leadership skills through programs that are offered to them as well as opportunities to work with a mentor while they are in bachelor’s program,” said Ann Marie P. Mauro, PhD, RN, CNL, Clinical Associate Professor, and NCIN Program Liaison at NYUCN. “The NCIN scholarship program not only increases the number of nurses from these underrepresented groups, but it also helps meet the nursing shortage more rapidly, encouraging graduates to continue their nursing education and hopefully to become nurse faculty educators in the future,” she said.
The NCIN Scholarship Program was launched in 2008 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (NCIN) to address the national nursing shortage, develop a diverse professional nursing workforce, and fuel the pipeline of nurse faculty and leaders. In the 2011 - 2012 academic year, 400 students in accelerated baccalaureate programs and master’s programs will receive scholarship funding from NCIN.
“Through the NCIN program, we are challenging nursing schools across the country to expand nurse leadership and strengthen education, two clear goals of the landmark 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on The Future of Nursing, “said Denise A. Davis, Dr. P.H, RWJF program officer for NCIN. “By diversifying the nursing profession through these scholarships, we are also helping to create a health care workforce ready to meet the needs of the 21st century American patient.”
“NYU College of Nursing has a proud history of preparing graduates for leadership roles in clinical practice, education, and research,” said NYUCN Dean Judi Haber. “We are committed to cultivating leadership competencies in baccalaureate students from underrepresented groups who represent our hope for the future for making significant contributions to reducing health disparities and improving clinical outcomes in academic or clinical settings in which they choose to play a leadership role,” Dr. Haber said.
The 2012 NYUCN NCIN scholars are: Maritess Cabrera, Veronica Cepin, Sheyla Reyes, Luis Sanchez, and Danielle Spencer. Each scholar will select a nurse-mentor, recruited from the NYUCN Alumni Association, faculty, and members of the Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.
“The scholars will benefit from their mentoring relationship and strengthened advisement with further opportunities for advanced education,” said Dr. Mauro. “They will receive expanded offerings for building leadership skills and engage in partnerships for professional development,” she said.
To date, the NCIN scholarship program has supported 15 students (NCIN Round 1 Scholars) at NYUCN. Currently, 27% of the Round 1 Scholars have returned to NYUCN to begin their MS program.
In response to the expected shortage of registered nurses (RNs) due to aging Baby Boomers and an increased need for health care (AACN, 2011), NYUCN’s 15-Month Accelerated Baccalaureate Program has graduated over 1800 students since 1990; more than 1000 since 2005. During the 2010 – 2011 academic year, it had 202 Accelerated BS graduates, 47 of whom were Dual Degree BS/MS students. NYUCN enrolled 201 Accelerated BS students in Fall 2011 and 121 this Spring 2012. As a result, NYUCN continues to develop culturally competent health professionals and future leaders of the profession.
The NCIN program addresses a number of the challenges confronting nursing education, professional development, and the national workforce shortage. Accelerated programs like the ones supported by NCIN provide scholars with the most efficient route to licensure as a registered nurse (RN) and create opportunities for adults who have already completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in a field other than nursing. These programs prepare students to pass the licensure examine required for all RNs in as little as 12-18 months and provide quicker routes to workforce eligibility than traditional programs.
“AACN is proud to collaborate with RWJF on this unique effort. Through this partnership, the NCIN program continues to provide much needed scholarship support, mentoring and leadership development to students enrolled in accelerated nursing programs,” said AACN President Kathleen Potempa. “By focusing on students entering the profession at the baccalaureate and master’s level, NCIN aligns well with the recommendations for educational preparation of the nursing workforce advanced in the IOM Report on The Future of Nursing.”
By bringing more nurses into the profession at the baccalaureate and master’s degree levels, the NCIN program 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 via baccalaureate programs are four times more likely than other nurses to pursue a graduate degree in nursing. This trend is reflected in the NCIN scholars, as 91 percent of the students receiving funding in the first three years of the program indicate a desire to advance their education to the master’s and doctoral levels.
For more information about NYUCN’s accelerated program, visit http://www.nyu.edu/nursing/academicprograms/futurestudents/acceleratedstudentstories.html To find learn more about the NCIN program, visit www.newcareersinnursing.org.
The New York University College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Arts and Post-Master’s Certificate Programs; a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Research Theory and Development. For more information, visit www.nyu.edu/nursing
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 health and health care, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, measurable and timely change. For 40 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. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit 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 670 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. http://www.aacn.nche.edu