FAIRFIELD—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Sacred Heart University’s Dr. Susan L. Davis R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing (DHCON) a $2.6 million grant. The funds will help increase the number of primary care and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners available to work in medically underserved areas.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a Department of Health and Human Services agency, awarded the nursing education grant as part of its effort to increase the number of nurses in urban and rural settings. The HRSA is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
“Each patient’s unique needs are important and may be shaped by their culture, ethnicity and socioeconomic status,” said Cynthia O’Sullivan, associate dean of academic affairs and global nursing at SHU. “Nurses are taught from the very beginning of their education that all patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect—it is part of our ethical standards.”
The grant will provide financial aid to full- and part-time SHU students in an advanced nursing education program who are on track to becoming certified as primary care nurse practitioners or psychiatric nurse practitioners at the doctorate, master’s or post-master’s level.
To be eligible, students must have at least a 3.2 grade point average, their registered nurse license and an interest and willingness to participate in training modules pertaining to pain management, cultural diversity and social determinants of health.
The grant will enable the DHCON to provide up to $25,000 each to eight eligible full-time students and up to $15,000 each to 18 qualified part-time students annually for the next four years.
The University anticipates the project will increase enrollment in family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner programs and the proportion of diverse, disadvantaged and underrepresented students preparing to enter those fields.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,599,895 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
