The LEARN Program will pursue three key goals:

• Increase enrollment and retention of accelerated, full-time nursing students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds

• Increase the number of Quinnipiac nursing graduates who enter primary care

• Increase the number of graduates who practice in rural, Tribal and other medically vulnerable communities.

The program will support 80 LEARN Scholars over the five-year grant period. Students who meet criteria for economic or educational disadvantage will receive dedicated financial assistance, comprehensive academic support, peer mentoring, professional-identity-building opportunities and individualized career development.

“This grant reflects Quinnipiac’s commitment to expanding access to transformative educational opportunities while building on our strength in preparing the health care workforce for Connecticut and the region,” said Debra Liebowitz, provost of Quinnipiac. “The LEARN Program will support talented students on their path to becoming nurses and strengthen the pipeline of practice-ready graduates prepared to improve health outcomes in primary care, rural and medically underserved communities.”

Larry Slater, dean of the School of Nursing, said, “The LEARN Program represents an important investment in the future of nursing and in the communities that need nurses most. By removing financial and academic barriers, strengthening student support and expanding clinical experiences in primary care and community settings, we can help more talented students succeed while preparing them to become confident, compassionate nurses who are equipped to address health care needs where they are greatest.”

The program’s goals reflect a pressing need in the nursing workforce.

Persistent shortages, high attrition among newly licensed nurses, and the  underrepresentation of students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds continue to challenge the profession. At the same time, nursing education has historically emphasized acute-care clinical settings, giving students fewer opportunities to experience primary care, community health and other settings that serve populations facing significant health disparities.

Hartford HealthCare (HHC), a key practice partner for the LEARN Program, will collaborate with Quinnipiac to expand clinical education opportunities and strengthen pathways into nursing careers. Hartford HealthCare's statewide network includes primary and ambulatory care sites, rural locations in Litchfield and Windham counties, safety-net hospitals serving medically vulnerable communities and rural hospitals in Torrington, Willimantic and Norwich.

“There is an urgent need to expand and strengthen the nursing workforce, and we are committed to supporting innovative pathways into nursing careers, particularly for those interested in primary care and serving rural and medically vulnerable populations,” said MaryEllen (Mel) Kosturko, executive vice president and chief nursing officer at Hartford HealthCare. “The LEARN Program aligns closely with our workforce development priorities and provides an important opportunity to improve access to nursing education while creating pathways for students to enter and advance in the profession.”

Hartford HealthCare will help Quinnipiac identify workforce needs, develop additional clinical education opportunities, and provide students with experiences in population health, care coordination, health promotion and other community-focused areas of care. HHC also will support the LEARN Program's career-development efforts, including engagement by its talent acquisition team to help connect graduates with nursing opportunities throughout its primary, ambulatory, rural and medically underserved care sites.

“Preparing future nurses for the realities of primary care, community-based care and rural and medically underserved settings requires meaningful clinical experiences that build both competence and clinical judgment,” said Warly Remegio, vice president of nursing professional development at Hartford HealthCare.  “Our partnership with Quinnipiac will help students develop those skills while giving them a clearer pathway from nursing education into careers where they can make a lasting difference for patients and communities.”

By addressing the academic, social, and financial barriers that disproportionately affect disadvantaged students, LEARN aims to create a sustainable pipeline of nursing graduates prepared to meet the needs of underserved communities. The program also has the potential to serve as a replicable model for other nursing programs seeking to strengthen the primary care and community health workforce.
             
“This partnership brings together education and practice around a shared goal: creating more opportunities for students to become nurses and ensuring those nurses are prepared to serve the communities that need them most,” Slater said. “The support of Hartford HealthCare and our other clinical partners will be essential to making the LEARN Program successful and sustainable.”