UB on Course to Address the Nursing Shortage in WNY

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo School of Nursing was recently awarded a $695,000 U.S. Health Resources and Service (HRSA) Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship (AENT) grant for the purpose of increasing the number of advanced education nurses trained to practice as primary care providers and/or as nursing faculty.

UB was among the universities that received the most AENT award money.

Additionally, the UB School of Nursing received accreditation for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, the CCNE is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.

Marsha Lewis, PhD, RN, dean and professor expressed delight that the DNP Program had been accredited.

Lewis explained that, "having accredited programs along with the AENT award money will allow us to be able to provide substantial funding for DNP students to meet their academic goals. This aligns with the Institute of Medicines (IOM) Future of Nursing Initiative."

"One of the key messages of the initiative is to provide and expand opportunities for nurses to achieve higher levels of education through an improved education system that promotes academic progression. Being able to offer excellent academic programs along with financial support to our students allows UB School of Nursing to lead change and impact health care delivery."

The HRSA grant, which is awarded for two years and must be spent in 2012 and 2013, will be used to set up scholarships for qualified students, current and incoming.

Qualified students will be those in the post-baccalaureate portion of the DNP program. The specific programs UB offers are the Family Nurse Practitioner, the Adult Nurse Practitioner and the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Carol Brewer, PhD, RN, a UB nursing professor and interim associate dean for academic affairs attributed the HRSA award to an "excellent application and excellent nursing program."

She went on to say, "This money will help educate doctorally-prepared nurse practitioners who will provide advanced health care to the communities they serve.

"Some of these practitioners will also join the ranks of faculty, easing the bottle neck created by inadequate number of nurse educators which decreases the flow of nurses into the community."

For more information on UB's post-baccalaureate nursing programs, go to: http://nursing.buffalo.edu/Academics/DoctorofNursingPractice.aspx

For more information on the RN Work Project, go to: http://rnworkproject.org/