WSU College of Nursing to Expand APRN Training with $2.6 Million HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Grant

The Wayne State University College of Nursing was recently awarded a 4-year $2.6 million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant.  The grant supports the college's project entitled, "Eclipse (Expanding Clinical Immersion Program Site Education) in the D" which was created to establish academic clinical partnerships to educate advanced practice nursing students (APRNs) who will practice in rural and underserved communities after graduation.

This grant comes at a time when the need for advanced education nurses who work on primary care teams is increasing as the supply of primary care physicians diminishes, especially in medically underserved community practices. To fill this need, the WSU College of Nursing will collaborate with three of its longstanding community partners: Advantage Health, Campus Health Center and Ascension Health. The outcome will be the creation of a replicable primary care advanced education nursing workforce training program for nurse practitioner and nurse midwife students as well as current advanced nursing education preceptors.

"The grant provides an opportunity to explore alternative options for APRN clinical education that mimics a resident-attending model. The model is a much-needed advancement in our thinking about how we provide clinical experiences to APRNs, and it expands the opportunities to more efficiently work with clinical agencies," said Dr. Ramona Benkert, Wayne State Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs and Michigan AHEC Co-Principal Investigator.

Dr. Leanne Nantais-Smith, College of Nursing Director of Advanced Practice and Graduate Certificate Programs and PI of the grant added, "This new education model will also provide longitudinal clinical immersion experiences within the context of the medical home model, value-based care, and quality improvement."

This groundbreaking project will bring benefits to people all around: advance practice nursing students will gain experience with emerging critical community health issues, community partners will have the opportunity to hire highly skilled graduates who understand the current needs of community based practice settings and, most importantly, people who might not have otherwise had access to high quality health care will receive support and treatment.