Davenport University has partnered with the Wyoming Health Care Center to enhance nursing education for 30 underrepresented students in the Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing Pre-licensure program and improve the outpatient and veteran care skills of 45 WHCC registered nurses. This effort is supported by a $2.4 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

WHCC services the largest population of veterans in primary care, mental health and other specialty services in Wyoming, Michigan.

This grant is led by Karen Daley, dean of the College of Health Professions as well as Associate Dean Amy Stahley and Department Chair Kelli Leask.

“We are one of only two universities within the state to receive this grant,” she said. “We will develop curriculum inside the university and in the clinics to focus on primary care. Working within clinics will give students a different experience and we will be one of the only universities delivering nursing curriculum in primary care. It is really cutting edge.”

DU will provide scholarships to 10 BSN-PL students and 15 WHCC RNs as trainees per year to increase nursing workforce diversity.

“This grant will allow us to offer this smooth pathway to provide financial assistance, mentoring and the support system to facilitate success for these students,” Daley said.

Preparing nursing students to impact communities

Primary care provides comprehensive community care, Daley said.

“It takes a different kind of nurse — someone to provide long-term, patient-provider relationships and coordinate across multiple disciplines so patients do not have to go anywhere else but that clinic,” Daley said.

Since opening in the West Michigan area, the Wyoming VA clinic has made a significant impact on veteran’s care locally, Daley said.

“Working together, the Wyoming VA and the Davenport University Nursing program will be able to ensure that veterans continue to get the primary care they need and deserve,” Daley said.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UK1HP31714 and title “Nurse, Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention – Registered Nurses in Primary Care” for 2,410,071, with 0% financed with nongovernmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S Government