The Center for Health Workforce Development in Tennessee

ETSU College of Nursing
Faculty in the ETSU College of Nursing are developing innovative ways of addressing the shortage of nurses. Dr. Priscilla Ramsey of the College of Nursing has been awarded a second grant from the Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Nursing, for a project entitled "Community Partnerships for L.P.N. to B.S.N. Career Mobility."

Along with Dr. Sally Blowers and Ms. Carolyn Merriman, Dr. Ramsey developed partnerships with area health care agencies employing licensed practical nurses (L.P.N.s) to prepare them to be registered nurses through a "earn and learn" program leading to a baccalaureate nursing (B.S.N.) degree from East Tennessee State University.

During the first year, partnerships were formed with area medical centers, hospitals, and long-term care facilities to support L.P.N. students with full or part tuition reimbursement and work schedules to allow attending classes. Twenty students were projected for the first year of the project, but the demand exceeded this estimate and 29 students were admitted. A total of 75 students will be recruited over the three-year period.

Clinical experiences include B.S.N. graduate nurse mentors employed in the partnership agencies and nurse practitioners employed in one of the College of Nursing's nurse-managed clinics. Students are mentored throughout the nursing program by project faculty. During the first year of study, the cohort group participates in Center for Adult Programs and Services programs in counseling and other cohort academic success programs.

Students are tutored for all non-nursing and nursing courses through the NURSE Center, funded by Dr. Ramsey's first grant from the Bureau of Health Professions. Project staff in the NURSE Center offer seminars to address professional role transition issues. Consistency of nursing faculty teaching the L.P.N. students' courses and a special academic counselor are distinct features of the project.

Mountain States Health Alliance
Mountain States Health Alliance (Johnson City, Tennessee), in recognition of HIPE Week, produced a LIVE television program during which students could call in their healthcare career questions. The program was broadcast on the Tri-Cities CBS affiliate, WJHL-TV 11, on a Tuesday morning(October 15, 2002) at 10AM. WJHL-TV 11's education reporter hosted the program live from Mountain States Medical Call Center.

During the half hour, a number of Mountain States nurses and clinicians were interviewed about their careers. Many of the participants were life-long residents who had graduated from high schools in the Tri-Cities region. Short taped segments also featured non-clinical areas such as Information Systems, Financial, Engineering, and more.

Mountain States coordinated the broadcasting of this program with the regional HOSA classes to insure a large student audience. The response was excellent and Mountain States is looking at another program in the Spring of 2004. The number one question from many of the students? "How much does a (fill in the blank) make?"