Nursing Workforce Diversity NWD Program

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Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Program

• Technical Assistance Workshops
• October 11-12, 2007 (Dallas, TX)
• October 17-18, 2007 (Washington, DC)
• Michele Richardson, MS, BSN, RN
• LT Aisha K. Mix, MPH, MSN, RN, CCM
• Janice B. Young, Ph.D., MPH, RN
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Health Resources and Services Administration
• Bureau of Health Professions
• Division of Nursing

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NWD Legislative Intent

• To increase nursing education opportunities for
  individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
  (including racial and ethnic minorities
  underrepresented among registered nurses) in
  order to increase nursing workforce diversity

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NWD Legislative Intent (cont.)

• The program supports projects that provide
  educational opportunities for students to become
  Registered Nurses and/or opportunities for
  practicing Registered Nurses to pursue a
  baccalaureate degree in nursing.
• Applications for projects preparing participants
  at an educational or professional level other
  than Registered Nurse are not eligible for funding

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History of NWD Awards

• 2006 2007
• Applications Reviewed 145 93
• Applications Approved 62 52
  
• Awards Funded 27 23
• FY07 Average Award Amount (1st yr of 3 yr Grant)
  279,000
• Total (new/continuing) NWD Grants 2006 - 50
• 2007 - 51

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Funding Preference

• Applicants that meet the defined requirements for
  a funding preference may request the statutory
  funding
• preference if the project substantially benefits
  rural
• or underserved populations, or helps meet public
• health nursing needs in state or local health
• departments
• Applicants must also describe how the proposal
  meets the statutory funding preference

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Eligible Applicants

• Schools of Nursing
• Nursing Centers
• Academic Health Centers
• State or Local Governments, Indian Tribes
• Other Public or Private for Profit and Nonprofit
  Entities, e.g. Faith Based Organizations

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Applicant Accreditation

• A school of nursing must be accredited by a
  national nurse education accrediting agency or
  State approval agency recognized by the Secretary
  of the U.S. Department of Education.
• For FY 2008, these agencies include
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  
• National League for Nursing Accrediting
  Commission (NLNAC)
• Iowa Board of Nursing
• Maryland Board of Nursing
• Missouri Board of Nursing
• Montana Board of Nursing
• New York Board of Nursing
• North Dakota Board of Nursing

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Applicant Accreditation (cont.)

• All nursing programs and consortium partners, if
  applicable, that are associated with the project
  must be accredited for the purpose of nursing
  education.
• New programs that are not yet accredited must
  provide a letter from a national nursing
  accrediting agency or State approval body
  recognized by the Secretary of the Department of
  Education that indicates reasonable assurance
  that the new program will meet the
  accreditation/approval standards prior to the
  beginning of the academic year following the
  normal graduation date of students of the first
  entering class.
• Failure to provide proof of accreditation with
  the HRSA program application will render the
  application non-responsive and the application
  will not be considered for funding.

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Disadvantaged Status

• Educationally Disadvantaged
• Individual comes from an environment that has
  inhibited them from obtaining the knowledge,
  skills, and abilities required to enroll in and
  graduate from a school of nursing.
• Economically Disadvantaged
• Individual or family with an annual income below
  a level based on low-income thresholds
  established by the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Project Focus

• Applicant must address the following three major
  purposes during each year of the project
• Retention Program
• Pre-Entry Preparation Program
• Student Scholarships or Stipends Program

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Retention Program

• Innovative curriculum or learning experience
  designed to
• Assist nursing students from disadvantaged
  backgrounds to continue their pursuit of a
  nursing education and successfully complete an
  accredited professional nursing program.
• Address educational barriers, reduce attrition
  rates and improve the graduation rates for NWD
  participants.

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Retention Activity Examples

• Mentoring, Tutoring, Coaching
• Writing Test Taking Preparation
• Computer Skills Training
• Study Skills, Time Management, Cultural
  Competence Training
• NCLEX-RN Preparation

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Retention Program Eligibility

• An applicant organization must be an accredited
  professional nursing program OR identify a
  partnership with such an entity
• Project participants must be nursing students
  who, upon graduation, are eligible to take the
  NCLEX-RN exam.

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Retention Project Examples

• Academic, Career, Personal, Life-issues
  Counseling
• Alternative Educational Models/Modules designed
  for special learning needs

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Retention of Project Participants

• If the annual admission, retention or graduation
  rates go below the rate reported during the
  previous two years, grantee will have to
• Provide an action plan for improving rates
• If no improvement, grantee will not be eligible
  for future funding

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Pre-Entry Preparation Program

• Creative intervention, curriculum or learning
  experience designed to
• Enhance academic abilities and preparation to
  increase competitiveness for entry into and
  graduation from an accredited professional
  nursing program
• Improve communication, reading writing skills,
  reinforce basic mathematical skills and improve
  critical thinking skills
• Identify, recruit, select and motivate potential
  candidates

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Pre-Entry Preparation Eligibility

• Eligible Participants are
• Middle and/or high school students to promote
  Nursing as a career
• Senior high school students to support transition
  to a professional RN program
• Current CNAs or LPNs/LVNs support transition to a
  professional RN program

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Pre-Entry Preparation Eligibility (cont.)

• Eligible Participants are
• Associate Degree or Diploma RNs to support
  pursuit of a baccalaureate degree in Nursing,
  and/or
• Pre-nursing college students to prepare for entry
  into the professional RN program

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Pre-Entry Preparation Program Activity Examples

• Science and Math Tutoring
• Summer Enrichment Programs
• Weekend Academics Enrichment Classes
• Mock SAT/ACT Classes
• Health or Nursing Career Fairs

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Pre-Entry Preparation Program Activity Examples
(cont.)

• Health or Nursing Career Lectures
• Future Nurses Clubs
• Tours, Field Trips and Visits
• Exposure to Clinical Settings

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Stipends and/or Scholarships Program

• Provides financial assistance to project
  participants to enhance their ability for
  successful entrance into and completion of a
  professional registered nursing education
  program.
• Applicants may choose to provide student
  scholarships, stipends, or both.

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Student Stipends Program Eligible Participants

• 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade high school
  students, pre-college students or college
  students that are
• From a disadvantaged background and
• Enrolled full-time in grant-funded project
  activities

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Student Stipends Program General Information

• Assists in covering general living expenses,
  including travel
• Not intended as recruitment tool or to replace
  other financial aid resources
• Maximum amounts - 250 monthly or 3,000 per
  student per budget period (i.e. July 1 June 30)

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Student Scholarship Program Eligible Participants

• NWD Project Participants who are students
• In need of financial assistance,
• Enrolled full-time in a professional registered
  nursing program, and
• In good academic standing.

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Student Scholarship Program General Information

• Students can not receive stipend and scholarship
  monies concurrently or within the same budget
  period (i.e. July 1 June 30)
• Maximum amount - 7,000 per student per budget
  period
• Cap of 40,000/yr/applicant

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Review Criteria
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Review Criteria (cont.)

• Criterion 1A Need
• New 20 points
• Competing Continuation 15 points
• Criterion 1B Progress Report Summary
• New n/a
• Competing Continuation 10 points

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Review Criteria (cont.)

• Criterion 2 Response
• New 30 points
• Competing Continuation 20 points
• Criterion 3 Evaluative Measures
• New 10 points
• Competing Continuation 10 points

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Review Criteria (cont.)

• Criterion 4 Impact
• New 10 points
• Competing Continuation 15 points
• Criterion 5 Resources/Capabilities
• New 15 points
• Competing Continuation 15 points

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Review Criteria (cont.)

• Criterion 6 Support Requested
• New 5 points
• Competing Continuation 5 points
• Criterion 7 Cultural Competence
• New 10 points
• Competing Continuation 10 points

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Grantee Reporting Requirements

• Annual Reporting
• Uniform Progress Report (UPR)
• Comprehensive Performance Measurement System
  (CPMS) Report
• Financial Status Report (FSR)

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Points to Remember

• Review Criteria are used by Peer Reviewers to
  evaluate and score applications
• Review Criteria are listed in the guidance
• Important to address/respond to the Criteria
• Indirect Costs are a flat 8
• This program does not fund research,
  construction, or planning grants

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Points to Remember

• Due date for FY 2008 applications is November 16,
  2007
• Respond to all THREE foci in the grant
  application
• Submit all application documentation required by
  focus area for all three years of the grant
• Online submission of application is mandatory

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Nursing Workforce Diversity Program Contact
Information

• Individual technical assistance is available from
  the Division of Nursings NEPR staff at (301)
  443-6193 or via e-mail
• LT Aisha K. Mix.. amix_at_hrsa.gov
• Dr. Janice Young..jyoung2_at_hrsa.gov
• Branch Chief E. Michele Richardson, MS, BSN, RN

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DIVISION OF NURSING INTERNET
ADDRESS http//www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing