Southeastern Nursing awarded $2.4 million Workforce Grant
U.S. Department of Labor, Delta Regional Authority fund Southeastern rural nursing pathway
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University has received a $2.45 million Workforce
Opportunity for Rural Communities grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Awarded
to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Rural Nurses Career Advancement Program,
in coordination with the Delta Regional Authority, the grant is part of an investment
to expand the impact of workforce development efforts across the Mississippi River
Delta.
“Nurse shortages are devastating to a community’s effort to provide quality health
care,” said Senator Bill Cassidy, a doctor who sits on the U.S. Senate Committee of
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. “This grant supports Southeastern as they train
the next generation of nurses that will improve the health of our state.”
In announcing Southeastern as one of only eight WORC grant recipients, Governor
John Bel Edwards said, “The state of Louisiana is maximizing opportunity for our residents
through these important Department of Labor grants. Southeastern will reach residents
and train workers in a five-parish area with its Rural Nurses Career Advancement Pathway
program.”
Southeastern’s RN-CAP program is designed to enhance community-based primary
care in the rural, underserved Delta region of southeastern Louisiana that includes
Livingston, St. Helena, St. James, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.
“A healthy workforce is a productive workforce,” Louisiana Economic Development
Secretary Don Pierson said. “With thousands of primary care providers needed to meet
the current medical needs of rural America, this nursing initiative by Southeastern
will provide a pathway to better health care for our workers and for their children
and older relatives who deserve the best care we can provide. We appreciate the support
of DRA and the Department of Labor in accelerating technology and training solutions
for this critical priority.”
The program also creates and provides innovative workforce development credentialing
in telehealth and data in healthcare, two critical areas in rural healthcare workforce
development needs.
“We are working with our community partners to address the nursing shortage,”
said Associate Professor of Nursing and RN-CAP Project Director Eileen Creel. “This
project facilitates the reverse transfer of Southeastern’s students to allow for graduation
from an accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse program, returning to Southeastern for
their bachelor of science in nursing, while working as an LPN. It will also establish
a telehealth center to address the training needs to allow innovative health delivery
in our area.”
Southeastern is collaborating with North Oaks Health System and Northshore Technical
Community College in this endeavor.
To help fill the workforce demands in the region and provide residents with viable
career training, Southeastern and NTCC have partnered on an innovative reverse transfer
program wherein four-year students may enter an accelerated LPN program at NTCC and
then immediately enter into a fast-track BSN pathway at Southeastern.
“The RN-CAP program will provide training and support services for up to 61 individuals
who are enrolled in the NTCC/Southeastern accelerated PN and BSN programs,” Creel
said. “As part of the program, these students will receive stipends to assist them
with financial barriers including costs associated with tuition, supplies, and licensure
testing. The Rural Health Telehealth Training Center at Southeastern will provide
direct training on the use of telehealth, as well as support to local health care
providers on effective telehealth practices.”
North Oaks Health System Chief Nursing Officer Diane Thompson is serving as a
liaison with Southeastern to work closely with master of science nursing students,
to manage research on recruiting and retention, to provide support for telehealth
training for employees, and to provide employer orientation and residency programs
to newly hired LPN/BSN graduates.
In the health profession and related fields, Southeastern conferred 2,325 baccalaureate
degrees, 39 doctoral degrees and 613 masters degrees, and awarded 22 post-masters
certificates over the past 10 years.
“With over 3,000 students currently enrolled, the College of Nursing and Health
Sciences strives to provide excellence in education in health, nursing, speech language
pathology, health systems management, counseling and wellness and fitness, while meeting
the workforce needs of the region and state,” Creel said.
