Nursing Workforce Diversity NWD Program

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Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Program

• Technical Assistance Workshops
• September 15-16, 2008 San Antonio, TX
• September 23-24, 2008 Washington, DC
• LCDR Aisha K. Mix, MPH, MSN, RN, CCM
• Nurse Consultant
• US Department of Health and Human Services
• Health Resources and Services Administration
• Bureau of Health Professions
• Division of Nursing

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Todays Presentation

• General Information and Requirements
• NWD Program Application History
• NWD Program Overview
• Points to Remember
• Application Guidance and Review Criteria

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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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Eligible Applicants
Important!
Must be capable of carrying out the legislative
intent

• Accredited Schools of Nursing
• Nursing Centers, Academic Health Centers
• State or Local Governments
• Faith-based and Community-based Organizations
• Tribes and Tribal Organizations
• Other Public or Private for Profit and Nonprofit
  Entities

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Applicant Accreditation

• Any program of nurse education 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.

Important!
Every nursing program in the project must be
accredited.
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Applicant Accreditation (cont.)

• For FY 2009, these agencies include
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  
• National League for Nursing Accrediting
  Commission (NLNAC)
• Kansas 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.)

• 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.
• 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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Funding Preference
Tidbit
More competitive position!

• As provided in Public Health Service Act Section
  805, a funding preference shall be granted to
  applicants with projects that will
• substantially benefit rural or
• underserved populations, or
• help meet public health nursing needs in State or
  local health departments.
• Applicants must specifically request the
  statutory funding preference and provide
  supporting information within the Needs
  Assessment.

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NWD Application History
3 Components
Grants.gov
Accreditation Clarification
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Ineligible Applications FY 2008

• Does not meet legislative intent of the NWD
  Program
• Unresponsive to Application Guidance (92)
• Lacks one or more required components for each
  year of the project
• No assurance that participants will be engaged in
  project activities by Jan 31st
• Ineligible participants (i.e. HS students in the
  Retention Cohort)

Reminder
Read the guidance thoroughly!
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NWD Program Focus
Reminder
Address all three each year
Scholarships/ Stipends
NWD Components
Retention
Pre-Entry Preparation
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Eligible Participants
Tidbit
Race/ethnicity is not a factor for determining
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, adjusted
  annually.

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Retention
Tidbit
Identify baseline admission, retention and
graduation rates.

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

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Retention Eligibility

• An applicant organization must be an accredited
  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 or
• registered nurses enrolled in an accredited
  nursing program who, upon graduation, will be
  awarded a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

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Retention Requirements

• If the annual admission, retention or graduation
  rates fall 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

• 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 toward nursing education.

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Pre-Entry Preparation
Tidbit
Cohort with the most relevant educational
barriers and needs.

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

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Scholarships and/or Stipends

• Provide 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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Stipends Eligibility
Tidbit
Fulltime participation must be defined and
described in application.

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

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Stipends
Tidbit
Clearly indicate how participants are selected
for and awarded stipends.

• Assists in covering general living expenses,
  including travel.
• Not intended as recruitment tool or to replace
  other financial aid resources.
• Maximum amounts - 3,000 per student per budget
  period, may be prorated and paid at regular
  intervals

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Scholarships Eligibility
Tidbit
Part-time students now eligible!

• NWD Project Participants who are students
• In need of financial assistance,
• Enrolled part-time OR full-time in a registered
  nursing program,
• Enrolled full time in structured, grant-funded
  project activities, and
• In good academic standing.

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Scholarship Limitations
Unallowable
Licensure fees, exam costs, child care costs.

• Students cannot receive stipend and scholarship
  monies concurrently or within the same budget
  period (July 1 June 30).
• Maximum amount - 7,000 per student per budget
  period
• Cap of 40,000 per year per applicantorganization

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NWD Planning Example
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NWD Review Criteria
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Points to Remember

• Indirect Costs are a flat 8.
• This program does not fund research,
  construction, or planning grants.
• Due date for FY 2009 applications is November
  2008.
• Online submission of application is mandatory
  through Grants.gov.

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Contact Information

• LCDR Aisha K. Mix, MPH, MSN, RN,CCM
• Nurse Consultant
• Health Resources and Services Administration
• Bureau of Health Professions
• Division of Nursing
• Diversity and Basic Nurse Education Branch
• Email amix_at_hrsa.gov
• Office 301.443.6193

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Thank You!
HRSA Division of Nursing www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing