The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Nursing received $725,000 for nursing workforce development from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The grants, reauthorized by the Affordable Care Act and administered by HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration, are the primary source of federal funding for nursing education and workforce development. These programs bolster nursing education at all levels, from entry-level preparation to the development of advanced practice nurses. They also prepare faculty to teach the nation’s future nursing workforce.
“These awards support UT student scholarships, loan reimbursement for faculty members who have completed doctoral-level programs, and graduate nursing programs at the College of Nursing. This funding will strengthen our ability to financially support students, enhance our graduate nursing educational offerings, and attract highly skilled nursing faculty to UT,” Victoria Niederhauser, dean of the College of Nursing.
More than $70,000 in student scholarships, $66,000 to support nursing faculty in advancing their academic degrees, and $585,000 in advanced nurse education training programs were funded through a competitive grant process.