CORAL GABLES, FL (October 8, 2010)--The US Health and Human Services administration announced $320 million in new grants under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to strengthen the healthcare workforce in America. Florida alone will receive more than $11 million in grant funding.
The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies will receive over $704,000 to increase the pool of primary care nurse practitioners in Miami-Dade County (MDC). The funding from the grant is from the Advanced Nursing Education Expansion (ANEE) Program and will be used to provide tuition support to students enrolled in the school's Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program. The 12-month, 37-credit program prepares advanced practice nurses to provide cost-effective, culturally appropriate primary healthcare services across the lifespan. Graduates of the program earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree and are eligible for national certification as a family nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners or the American Nurses Credentialing Center. ANEE support will help accelerate the preparation of FNPs by supporting full-time enrollment.
According to University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies Dean and Professor Nilda Peragallo, "this grant will provide critical funding for students at a time when the redesign of the US healthcare system will require more primary care providers. The grant will allow the School of Nursing and Health Studies to continue our efforts to educate more students and get additional Family Nurse Practitioners in to primary care roles at a much quicker rate and thus improving patient care across the state of Florida and the Nation."
ANEE funds will be used to provide tuition stipends to encourage students to enroll full-time in the FNP program. Tuition support will accelerate the students' FNP training from 24 months to 12 months. A projected 32 FNP students will be impacted by the program over the 5-year project period.
About the School of Nursing and Health Studies
Established in 1948 as South Florida's first collegiate nursing program, the School of Nursing and Health Studies at the University of Miami has a distinguished tradition of preparing nurses to provide compassionate, quality care to local, national and international communities. Nursing students at the undergraduate and graduate levels are educated by renowned scholars and exposed to a broad range of clinical experiences and cutting-edge research. In February 2005, the School expanded its program offerings to include the University of Miami's Health Science program and changed its name to the School of Nursing and Health Studies. The expanded curriculum includes programs leading to the BSN, MSN, PhD, and DNP degrees as well as the BS in Health Science degree. www.miami.edu/sonhs.
About the University of Miami
The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. www.miami.edu