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Project Name: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeships (A22)
Applicant Title: EMORY UNIVERSITY
Abstract Text: Project Director Name:Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA, FAANA Program Director, Nurse Anesthesia Project Title:Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship Applicant Name:Nurse Anesthesia Program Emory University Nell Hodson Woodruff School of Nursing Address:1520 Clifton Road NE Atlanta, GA 30322 Contact Phone Numbers:xxx-xxx-xxxx E-mail Address:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx Statutory Funding Preference and Special Consideration Request: We request preference given our overall 77.77% placement in HPSA, rural and underserved settings for the period 7/1/2021-6/30/2022. Graduate placement included a 33.3% placement rate in HPSAs, and 44.44% placement in rural and underserved settings for the 2021-2022 year. Overview: Nurse anesthesia traineeship grant monies will be used to support full-time students enrolled in the Emory University Nurse Anesthesia Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program. Our mission is to educate visionary leaders and scholars, generate and apply knowledge and transform nursing, health and systems of health care within the local and global community. We plan to incorporate in the education and training of our students the complexity of care for patients related to health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) in vulnerable and underserved populations. Our students rotate through all areas of anesthesia practice, and we ensure traineeship-supported students are prepared to enter the anesthesia workforce as highly qualified anesthesia providers, demonstrating exceptional levels of culturally competent care. Our first cohort graduated in 2020 and to date 32 graduates having completed the program. Our program offers a BSN to DNP and has 45 doctoral students who take an 89-credit curriculum over 36 months. Post-graduation employment rate is historically 100%, and retention rate is 95% (attrition average ~5%). The average first time pass rate for the program since inception is 94.1% (average national first-time pass rate is 84.1%). Many graduates assume positions in rural, medically underserved or health professions shortage areas. Emory University School of Nursing is ranked #6 by U.S. News & World Report for the DNP (2023) and secured 20 million in research funding in fiscal year 2021. Objectives of the Project: 1) Maintain quality of the nurse anesthesia DNP program and graduates as measured through a variety of indicators; 2) Recruit/support under-represented minority students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as students who take positions in facilities which serve rural areas, health professions shortage areas and medically underserved areas/populations; 3) Provide a diverse clinical experience preparing students for practice in diverse clinical settings; and 4) Prepare all funded students with experiential learning opportunities to focus on the delivery of culturally competent care, addressing health equity and SDOH in vulnerable and underserved populations. How the Project Will Be Accomplished: Program administration, clinical oversight, and didactic instruction are accomplished by 8 doctorally prepared CRNA faculty. In addition,13 doctorally prepared subject matter experts provide didactic instruction in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, systems leadership, and health policy. More than 650 CRNA and physician anesthesiologists provide clinical supervision across 36 clinical facilities and work with indigent, disabled, elderly and rural populations.These facilities provide essential anesthesia services to underserved, health professions shortage and rural areas. Our program evaluation is comprehensive, and we have developed a plan for the integration of health equity and SDOH elements from our introductory courses, through advanced principles, simulation and clinical until graduation. Knowledge and applied skill in the management of patients across all populations will be evaluated across the curriculum, through course and comprehensive examinations, and during the clinical curriculum.