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"We are faced with the serious challenge of finding skilled, qualified individuals to meet the health care needs of the commonwealth's aging population," Governor Rendell said. "By training more nurses -- and by using state-of-the-art equipment for that training -- Pennsylvania will have more graduates on the job who are qualified from day one to deliver the quality care our citizens need and deserve."
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Twenty grant recipients will use $679,933 to expand clinical education for nurses and $1.1 million to purchase training equipment. Combined with at least $2.1 million in private-sector matching funds, the total investment for these projects is approximately $3.9 million.
Nurse Education Initiative Grants help to increase educational quality and enable institutions to expand their programs by providing faculty coordination and training services. The initiative also enables nursing programs to hire one faculty member who is dedicated to incorporating simulation technology into the curriculum, thereby providing the most productive and efficient use of simulation labs and increasing the number of students nursing programs can enroll.
Additionally, the grants help support partnerships between health care employers and nursing education programs to add faculty and increase student enrollment. The grants provide financial incentives to health care employers to lend qualified nurses as faculty to nursing programs that demonstrate a critical need for new faculty to expand their enrollment.
The grants are part of a $7.5 million fund in the state budget that is targeted at reducing the state's nursing shortage.
More information is available online at http://www.paworkforce.state.pa.us under the "Governor Rendell's Strategy for Building a Skilled Workforce" quick link.
The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit http://www.governor.state.pa.us.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A list of grant recipients follows.
Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lebanon, Perry and York counties
Nurse Education Initiative Grant
-- $34,250 grant with $57,448 local funds; Total: $91,698 - Messiah College - South Central Workforce Investment Board
-- $67,444 grant with $100,000 local funds; Total: $167,444 - Messiah College - South Central Workforce Investment Board
-- $66,560 grant with $174,578 local funds; Total: $241,138 - Summit Health - South Central Workforce Investment Board
Allegheny County
Nurse Education Equipment Grant
-- $98,750 grant with $98,840 local funds; Total: $197,590 - University of Pittsburgh - Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board
-- $87,403 grant with $100,714 local funds; Total: $188,117 - The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Association - Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board
Nurse Education Initiative Grant
-- $14,439 grant with $66,712 local funds; Total: $81,151 - The Western Pennsylvania Hospital Association - Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board
-- $100,000 grant with $146,776 local funds; Total: $246,776 - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Presbyterian - Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board
Berks County
Nurse Education Equipment Grant
-- $81,760 grant with $81,760 local funds; Total: $163,520 - The Reading Hosp
