Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing announced today that for the second time it has been selected as a grant recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN). During the fall 2011 semester, MNSON will receive five scholarships of $10,000. These scholarships will support students in the school's accelerated nursing program who are traditionally underrepresented in the profession.
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.
"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 also are helping to create a health-care workforce ready to meet the needs of the 21st century American patient."
At Loyola, five scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to five students entering the accelerated nursing program during the fall, 2011 semester. To date, the NCIN program has supported 20 accelerated nursing students, and continues to develop culturally competent health professionals and future leaders of the profession. Of the 15 students who were awarded these scholarships last year, 13 have successfully completed the accelerated nursing program and two are scheduled to finish in December.
"Loyola is honored to receive this grant for the second time," said Vicki Keough, PhD, RN-Cs, ACNP, CCRN, Dean, MNSON. "We have already seen graduates of this program go on to pursue opportunities in urban areas where they will be able to give back to minority patients. This grant will allow Loyola to continue to educate students who will add to the diversity of the profession and are encouraged to provide care to minority and disadvantaged populations."
The NCIN program was created to enable schools of nursing to expand student capacity in accelerated baccalaureate and master's programs, and build a more diverse workforce ready to serve the needs of a changing patient population. Schools receiving grants through NCIN provide scholarships directly to students from groups underrepresented in nursing or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In the 2011 - 2012 academic year, 400 students in accelerated baccalaureate programs and master's programs will receive scholarship funding.
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 examination 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."
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