JMU Nursing's UPCARE Scholars
Description
The JMU School of Nursing was awarded $2.7 million in July to support nursing education over the next four years. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the purpose of the grant is to increase the workforce of nurses with bachelor's degrees working in primary care settings. This is being accomplished by educating a group of UPCARE (Undergraduate Primary Care and Rural Education) Project scholars who will be based in rural Page County, a federally-designated medically underserved area in mental health, dental health, and primary care.
During the four-year funding period, 56 scholars will receive training in cultural competency, poverty and diversity simulation, and addiction treatment strategies as part of their BSN training, to prepare them to work in rural primary health care.
Students’ clinical experiences will be based in primary care, which includes elements of chronic disease management, preventive care, hospital transition management, and health coaching. Additional emphases of the grant are faculty development in community health concepts and support for curricular revisions.
The UPCARE Project addresses the need to support and improve community-based preparedness of the BSN workforce in rural Page County, Virginia. This will be accomplished by increasing the BSN-prepared workforce employed in primary health care; establishing a liaison-led, preceptor-based program using an interprofessional approach as a vehicle for project interventions; and developing and implementing interventions focusing on mental health/substance abuse and chronic disease prevention/control in a rural, underserved primary care environment.
Follow us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/upcareproject
Involvement
Involves Faculty, Involves Students
Scope
Harrisonburg/Local/VA
Date
Summer 2019
Frequency
Ongoing (Currently in existence, year round)
Existing Center/Institute/Program
yes
Type of Partner
Nonprofit Agency
Primary Focus of Program
Health and Healthcare
Begin Date
7-2019
Areas of Engagement
Community Engagement, Engaged Learning
Format
Community Service, Service Learning
