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Project Name: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeships (A22)
Applicant Title: ROSALIND FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE
Abstract Text: The Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) Nurse Anesthesia Program (NAP) is located in a HPSA and MUA, and 75% of the 60 clinical sites used for training of students are located in a rural/underserved area. The NAP matriculates 40 students per year, of which up to 57% per cohort have been underrepresented minority (URM) registered nurses and 75% report a socially and/or educationally disadvantaged background. For the most recent graduating class, 77% of students accepted employment in a facility located in a rural/underserved area. The overall purpose of the project is to increase the number of URM CRNA graduates, through provision of financial support to students, to deliver culturally competent anesthesia services that improve health equity particularly in rural and underserved areas. The four major goals of this project are to: 1) increase the supply of qualified working CRNAs by providing traineeship support; 2) increase the diversity of the CRNA workforce to better address the needs of the populations they serve by recruiting students from diverse populations such as students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities in the nursing profession; 3) enhance training capacity by addressing health equity and expanding clinical training sites through partnerships; and 4) expand distribution and access of CRNAs serving in rural, urban, and tribal underserved communities. Key activities and outputs of this project are: expansion of student enrollment; increased number of clinical residency rotations in rural/underserved areas; recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from URM groups; implementation of two doctoral projects per year that address health equity and wellness; graduation of students who obtain employment in rural/HPSA/MUA; and provision of nurse anesthetist traineeship monies to 5-7 students per year, from targeted populations, to reduce their financial burden. Key outcomes of this project are: increase the number of CRNA graduates from the URM groups by 10% from baseline; increase the number of CRNA graduates who obtain employment in rural/underserved areas by 10% from baseline; improve CRNA graduates' ability to improve health outcomes, address health equity, and reduce healthcare disparities among the populations they serve.