The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is announcing the availability of nearly $15 million to grow the nursing workforce, improve access to nursing education, and advance health equity.
“In community after community across the country, nurses have and continue to deliver life-saving and life-sustaining care and treatment in response to the pandemic,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “We have learned a great deal from their leadership, including the importance of continuing to modernize and advance nurse training. Today’s announcements demonstrate our continued commitment to supporting the nursing workforce and building a robust training pipeline for the future.”
Experts suggest that one significant factor constraining admissions to nursing schools is the limited availability of nursing preceptors. Nursing preceptors are a critical bridge between training and practice, as these nursing experts provide direct instruction to nursing students in the clinical setting. Without sufficient preceptors, nursing schools cannot admit as many students, new students are delayed in starting their clinical rotations, and prospective nursing students may be stymied and choose other career paths.
Today’s announcement includes $10 million for a new initiative to invest in the nursing preceptor workforce in order to help unclog this challenge in the nurse training pipeline. A second funding initiative announced today will invest in directly increasing the number of nursing students trained in acute care settings, with a specific focus on training in addressing social determinants of health in order to advance health equity in underserved areas.
The funding opportunities announced today are:
- The Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies Program: This funding opportunity will provide awards totaling $10 million over four years to grow the nursing workforce by recruiting, training and supporting clinical nursing faculty and preceptors.
- The Registered Nurse Training Program: This funding opportunity will provide awards totaling $4.75 million over three years to increase the number of nursing students trained in acute care settings, with an emphasis on addressing and responding to social determinants of health factors and improving health equity.
To apply for these funding opportunities, visit Grants.gov. Applications are due August 19, 2022.
Learn more about HRSA’s funding opportunities.