This project is a collaboration between the University of Washington (UW) School of Nursing (SON) and community-based health partners who provide primary care services in rural and medically underserved [R/MU] areas of Western WA. This project is funded by HRSA’s Advanced Nursing Education Workforce funds to support innovative academic-practice partnerships to improve clinical and academic preparation of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students for work in primary care R/MU settings. The project aims to provide students with expanded access to R/MU clinical and research practica and provide scholarship opportunities for those completing practica in R/MU areas. We will improve preceptor skills and strengthen academic content related to R/MU practice. We aim to increase post-graduation employment of APRNs in R/MU venues and expand recruitment of students planning R/MU practice. Specialties included are nurse midwives (NMWs) and nurse practitioners (NPs: Family NPs [FNPs], Pediatric NPs [PNPs], Adult- Gerontology Primary Care NPs [A/G NPs], and Psychiatric Mental Health NPs [PMHNPs]).
Objectives:
- Ensure that APRN students are competent to provide integrated primary care services for R/MU populations by offering coursework that prepares students to provide integrated primary care services for R/MU populations.
- Create, sustain, and evaluate academic-clinical partnerships with R/MU sites and place APRN students/year in immersive clinical practica (2 quarters in length) and DNP Final projects.
- Expand SON’s portfolio of immersive R/MU primary care clinical and capstone research practicum sites
- Recruit, develop, support, and evaluate preceptors practicing in R/MU primary care venues.
- Recruit, enroll, retain, and graduate students in primary care APRN programs, emphasizing diversity and intention to practice in R/MU venues both in applicant outreach and in clinical placements.
- Implement and evaluate strategies to increase the number of APRN graduates practicing in R/MU primary care clinical sites including holding an annual job fair and providing job information about R/MU job openings.