Grant to provide nurses in rural and medically underserved areas

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St. Luke’s University Health Network has received a $1.4 million grant to address health care needs in rural and medically underserved communities. 

The three-year grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) for the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Simulation Education Training Program will be used to increase the number and capacity of nursing students working in Carbon and Schuylkill counties. SLUHN said.  

The funding will create experiential learning opportunities that prepare nursing students to address health equity for rural and medically underserved populations, along with increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce. 

 “We are both honored and excited to be awarded this grant, which enables us to implement this critical program,” said Lisa Storck, senior associate dean, St. Luke’s School of Nursing. “We are committed to advancing the health of patients, families and communities in medically challenged areas and providing access to the care that they deserve.” 

The priority clinical areas will focus on behavioral/mental health, maternal and child health, and aging populations. SLUHN said while families in these underserved areas often experience diseases and conditions such as stroke, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and obesity, as do the general population, the families in these areas face increasing numbers of challenges due to their geographical location and circumstances. 

St. Luke’s Miners Campus, the initial partnering clinical site, is considered rural by HRSA’s Rural Health Grants eligibility requirements. In recent years, SLUHN said more than 20% of nursing graduates reported practicing in federally designated rural areas. 

“This program will enhance nurse education through the use of simulation and strengthen the nursing workforce by increasing training opportunities for our nursing students,” said Emily Garey, St. Luke’s HRSA project director and simulation center education manager. 

The St. Luke’s Simulation Center uses state-of-the-art technology and simulated “real-world” environments to help health care professionals master cognitive, technical and behavioral skill sets. Simulation education bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-life clinical experience, SLUHN said. 

“The Network Simulation Center is committed to supporting the School of Nursing by providing realistic and safe training environments. This grant gives the nursing school an increased opportunity to significantly improve students’ patient care skills, clinical decision-making abilities, and most importantly enhance patient safety and improve patient outcomes,” said Megan Augustine, St. Luke’s HRSA evaluator and director of network simulation. 

 As part of the grant, nursing students will commit to 900 hours of hands-on clinical experiences and participate in 8 clinical simulations and/or skills activities before graduation. In addition, recruiting will be expanded to include both students and faculty from diverse populations to efficiently address health equity. 

 “By the end of the three-year program, several of our goals include increasing the overall admission of ethnically diverse nursing students to 46%, the admission of first-generation nursing students to 90%, and the admission of nursing students from rural areas to 53%,” explains Storck. The nursing school hopes to engage with up to three new academic or clinical partners over the life of the grant.”