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Project Name: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeships (A22)
Applicant Title: UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Abstract Text: PROJECT ABSTRACT: Project Title: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship (NAT) Grant Applicant Organizational Name: University of New England (UNE) Nurse Anesthesia Program Address: 716 Stevens Avenue, Portland, ME 04103-2656 Project Director Name: Cheryl L. Nimmo, DNP, MSHSA, CRNA, FAANA Contact Phone & Fax: xxx-xxx-xxxx Fax: xxx-xxx-xxxx Project Director Email Address: xxxxxx@xxx.xxx Website Address: http://www.une.edu/wchp/sna Grant Program Funds Requested: HRSA NAT 07/01/23 to 06/30/27 The purposes of this project are to address the supply shortage of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in medically underserved and rural areas by providing financial assistance to eligible students in UNE’s nurse anesthesia program. This assures that upon graduation, competent and qualified CRNAs are available to provide essential and needed anesthesia services to patients in rural and underserved communities. These graduates also provide critical anesthesia care for obstetrical patients, emergent and urgent situations, and pain management services to populations in health provider shortage and rural areas. Funding from the grant will assist in graduating doctorally prepared CRNAs who are credentialed to assume educational positions and decrease the shortage of CRNAs. The third goal of the project is to ensure that Social Determinants of Health are provided in the program’s didactic and experiential curriculum resulting in student and graduate recognition and intervention in these populations. Our students have clinical rotations in many areas of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. All three states are highly rural, with a high percentage of medically under-served areas and populations with negative social determinants of health. These three areas also experience health provider shortages, including CRNAs. The nurse anesthesia program at UNE extends to 36 months and is full-time. Clinical experiential training and learning occur over 19 months in various hospitals and facilities in the New England area. Each student spends two months in a rural facility serving the populations affected the most negatively by social determinants of health. An effort to expand the rural clinical sites will result in the student spending three months in the rural area. The funding will support the students during the rural rotations for associated educational expenses. The nurse anesthesia program is rigorous and intense and precludes outside employment. This grant will support students financially, enabling more to graduate as competent, qualified CRNAs.