“Fortunately, my dad pulled through, but my friend was not so lucky,” Meek said. “I learned that nurses held my friend’s phone, letting her Facetime with family after being extubated and as she passed. The kindness of nurses struck me over and over again – and solidified that nursing was my calling.”  

Fortunately for Meek, his transition from a marketing career to nursing was aided by a ’s workforce grant. A scholarship and funding support allowed him to take an accelerated path from work as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). “Earning my BSN is something I knew I wanted to do, but cost and time were the initial prohibiting factors,” Meek said. “I know for certain that I would not be working on my BSN right now if it were not for this incredible scholarship opportunity.”

, the $3.9 million Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) grant was designed to create an accelerated LPN to BSN pathway to address Kentucky’s nursing shortage in medically underserved areas, as well as reduce financial barriers for working LPNs to advance their nursing education. 

Program helps transform student lives and communities

Enrollment soared from 24 students in the first year to 74 in the second year, and the program also has expanded from 19 to 41 Kentucky counties. Ninety-two percent of applicants and enrollees live in medically underserved areas. Based on current progress, 60 students are projected to complete a BSN degree within the next 24 months, strengthening the Registered Nurse workforce in rural and underserved communities.

“Not only are we making this program accessible to students but also having the scholarships and the stipends available has been a major factor why we have seen such growth in year one to year two,” said Heather Mitchell, project director and associate professor of nursing education. “Students are having a very positive experience and they’re going back and telling their peers.”

Through this , UofL is bringing baccalaureate education to all parts of the state and preparing nurses to serve the communities in which they live. Incorporating the best practices of online education ensures that even in the most rural and remote locations, students are able to attain the same high-quality education as someone who lives just two minutes away from UofL.

“Our students are participating in community-based experiences for the clinical education in their home areas and developing projects that directly impact those communities with tangible outcomes,” Mitchell said. 

łÉČËÖ±˛Ą innovation through real-world scenarios

Innovation in nursing education is also a hallmark of the LPN to BSN program, including the use of simulations to expose students to scenarios they might encounter in their nursing practice. 

Through team collaboration, Mitchell, along with Simulation Director Christina Pennington, Program Director Diane Riff and Program Manager Joel Schmidt have created a simulation directory that blends academic and real-world learning. The directory includes scenarios on respiratory disease in coal regions, gun violence trauma response, mental health and homelessness, among others. 

The students aren’t the only ones to benefit from these resources. Each simulation is being embedded into RN-BSN online courses and being prepared for public release as open-source resources with full documentation, ensuring broad access. This will extend the impact to nursing programs statewide and nationally.

Mitchell said she is proud the innovative program is providing such an enriched experience for students. Schmidt agrees. “I receive comments from students about how much these scholarships and stipends mean, and how anchored in purpose these students feel for being able to go back and work in their own community. It’s something bigger than themselves.” 

Kentucky has a severe shortage of health care providers, with at least some portion of 113 of the state’s 120 counties designated as , including parts of Jefferson County.

“These kinds of workforce pipeline grants are truly transformative and will make a lasting and tangible impact on the health and wellness of Kentuckians for generations to come,” said Interim Provost Gerry Bradley. “Our highly trained and committed nursing faculty are advancing the work that enables us to continue in our effort to expand access to high quality and diverse health care across the entire Commonwealth.” 

School of Nursing Interim Dean Mary DeLetter says she’s proud of the nursing faculty who worked tirelessly to secure these grants that benefit nursing students, the nursing profession and ultimately, citizens across the state.

“These programs support opportunities to enhance clinical training and bring superior nursing care to all corners of the Commonwealth, from rural Appalachia to urban Jefferson County to rural western Kentucky counties,” she said.

Of the total grant funding, $3.9 million was awarded to Heather Mitchell, associate professor and interim associate dean for the undergraduate and pre-licensure programs, and her team to develop an accelerated LPN-to-BSN pathway for nurses in medically underserved areas of Kentucky. The program is a statewide collaboration between the UofL School of Nursing and the , and will also include academic-practice collaborations with three large health systems across Kentucky —, and . The grant will support scholarships for up to 83 students to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.  

“Our objective is to address the shortage of practice-ready registered nurses by increasing access to baccalaureate nursing education across Kentucky. This collaborative effort will provide an opportunity for licensed practical nurses to accelerate their pathway to RN licensure and meet workforce needs in medically underserved areas of Kentucky,” Mitchell said. “When I think about the impact we will have on nurses’ and patients’ lives, and for generations to come, knowing that we are making a difference out in those communities is so meaningful to me. This is why I do what I do.”

A second $2.6 million HRSA grant was awarded to Sara Robertson, associate professor and interim associate dean for the DNP and APRN programs, for “Advancing Diversity and Health Equity in the Primary Care and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Workforce.” Robertson is partnering with the , , and Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation. The goal is to increase the education of nurse practitioners from diverse populations, including underrepresented minorities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We want the nurse practitioner workforce to more closely mirror the population of Kentucky in terms of diversity and enable NPs from rural areas in the state to earn an APRN degree and provide high quality health care in their own rural areas across the Commonwealth,” Robertson said. “To be able to offer scholarships for students whose dream is to work with vulnerable and rural populations is impactful. This funding will help make their dreams of becoming a nurse practitioner a reality and at the same time, improve access to quality health care across the state of Kentucky.”

View the from the Dec. 4 press conference.