UCA, Conway Regional announce $390,000 in grants to support nursing education
by March 14, 2018 3:24 pm 581 views
The University of Central Arkansas and Conway Regional Health System announced a partnership Wednesday (March 14) to address shortages in the number of registered nurses.
The Conway Regional Health Foundation is providing $390,000, with $240,000 for student scholarships and $150,000 for faculty development and School of Nursing initiatives.
The Partnership for Clinical Excellence (PCE) will award a $2,500 scholarship to an average of eight students in the UCA School of Nursing, which was established in 1967. Funds will be granted per semester for four semesters for students pursuing a nursing degree.
“UCA continues to be a leader in producing exceptional clinical professionals for the healthcare industry in Arkansas, and we recognize the growing need for quality nursing graduates,” UCA President Houston Davis said in a news release. “We are uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand in our state and region. Our leadership role in nursing will only increase as we partner in growth and development with the industry.”
“This partnership with UCA will ensure that we can continue to provide the community and our patients with excellent and compassionate care for years to come,” Conway Regional CEO Matt Troup said in the release. “Health care providers across the country are looking for ways to tackle this critical nursing shortage, and we see this investment in education as an important step along with the added benefit of a focus on clinical best practice and other areas such as research and staff development.”
Nursing students will be admitted with the standard admissions requirements in the UCA School of Nursing. The university and Conway Regional will jointly select students for the PCE scholarships. PCE students must commit to working for Conway Regional for a minimum of two years after graduation and passing licensure requirements.
UCA will also receive support for nursing faculty development and School of Nursing initiatives through the Nursing Enhancement Fund, a $150,000 grant with $50,000 paid annually over three years.