Eastern Michigan University's School of Nursing has received
a $634,000 grant from the Michigan departments of Energy,
Labor & Economic Growth, (DELEG) and Community Health
(MDCH).
Awarded as part of the Michigan Nurse Corps (MNC) program,
this grant will produce new classroom faculty and clinical
instructors in a 12-to-15-month period instead of four-to-six
years of part-time study.
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BOLSTERING NURSING NUMBERS: Eastern Michigan
has received a $634,000 grant awarded as part of
the Michgian Nurse Corps program. This grant will
produce new classroom faculty and clinical
instructors
in a 12-to-15-month period instead of the
four-to-six-year
time frame through part-time study.
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The MNC provides educational stipends and tuition to graduate
nursing students. In return for the financial help, these
new faculty will be required to teach in a Michigan nursing
education program for five years.
"The EMU award will help to accelerate the plans of study
for a master's degree in nursing students who will be very
close to graduation, or will graduate, at the end of the
12-month grant program," said Betty Beard, interim director
of EMU's School of Nursing.
"These graduates will be
ready to accept positions as nursing faculty in colleges
and universities which, in turn, will expand the nursing
workforce in Michigan."
The goal of the MNC is to rapidly produce nursing educators
so that schools can admit more nursing students. The result
will be the expansion of nursing seats and clinical education
slots in Michigan.
In 2007, Michigan nursing programs were unable to admit
more than 4,000 qualified applicants because of a lack
of faculty and clinical placements, according to Beard.
Michigan's nursing shortage is estimated to be 18,000
by the year 2015. This critical shortage is both a public
health concern and an economic development opportunity
for Michigan.
Governor Jennifer Granholm established the MNC in 2007
to address the nursing shortage in Michigan.
EMU has been preparing high-quality nursing faculty members
through the master's of science in nursing program for
more than 13 years.
As an integral unit of Eastern Michigan University since
1973, the School of Nursing prepares professional nurses
to meet society's needs and the needs of the state and
region. Both the BSN and MSN programs are fully accredited
by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
and approved by the State of Michigan Board of Nursing.
For more information, go to http://www.emich.edu/nursing/.
