Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Academic-Clinical Practice Collaborative and APRN RURAL Scholars Program
Mission
The mission of the ECU College of Nursing is to serve as a national model for transforming the health of rural underserved regions through excellence and innovation in nursing education, leadership, research, scholarship, and practice. Consistent with the ECU College of Nursing mission, the APRN Rural and Underserved Roadmap to Advance Leadership (RURAL) Scholars Program provides excellence in the education of advanced practice nurses in the primary care of rural and underserved communities.
Consistent with the ECU College of nursing mission, the APRN RURAL Scholars Program provides excellence in the education of advanced practice nurses in the primary care of rural and underserved communities. This program is provided through HRSA ANEW grant funding. Both full-time and part-time students are eligible for traineeship funds.
Purpose
The purpose of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Academic-Clinical Practice Collaborative at East Carolina University College of Nursing (ECUCON) is to significantly strengthen the availability and capacity of the APRN primary care workforce in rural and underserved communities in Eastern North Carolina. The innovative collaboration of students in three APRN concentrations – nurse practitioner (NP), nurse-midwifery (NM), and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) occurs through clinical placements in rural and underserved communities through our newly established community clinical partner Vidant Health (VH) and other community stakeholders. Our collaboration with the NC Agromedicine Institute (NCAI) prepares students in the evidence-based care of Easter NC residents, including farmers, fishermen, and loggers. Our partnership with East Carolina University Center for Telepsychiatry and E-Behavioral Health (ECU CTeBH) provides telehealth learning experiences for students. Preceptor development has been established through our community partner, Eastern Area Health Education Center. Through these collaborations, a new model of CNS education and practice is emerging that prepares CNS graduates in NC for employment in primary care settings.
The HRSA ANEW award will transform the APRN workforce through a newly-created scholars program designed to enhance clinical excellence in rural health, develop leadership capacity for delivering high quality evidence-based healthcare, and promote employment in rural communities following graduation. The APRN Rural and Underserved Roadmap to Advance Leadership (RURAL) Scholars Program provides each student receiving traineeship funds with 1-2 semesters of clinical placement in rural and underserved communities; trains students in telehealth with a focus on telepsychiatry through the ECU CTeBH; and provides opportunities for improving the health of farmers, loggers, and fishermen and their families through the NCAI. APRN RURAL Scholars will commit to two years of employment in rural/underserved communities for their participation. Participants in the RURAL Scholars program will be recognized at the ECUCON graduation ceremony for their participation in this program.
Disclaimer: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,793,141 with zero percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.