Redlands Community College

PROJECT PURPOSE

This project addresses the need for nursing professionals and nursing education infrastructure in rural healthcare. Redlands Community College?s Department of Nursing is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The Division of Nursing offers an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree (AAS) in El Reno. Students who complete this degree are eligible to take the examinations necessary to qualify for licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). There is an accelerated track available for students who are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). Nursing education in the community college setting provides an affordable and accessible avenue for associate degree education that also supports educational mobility. The curriculum reflects study in both nursing, general education, and health-related sciences. Nursing at Redlands is supportive of both the generic and LPN transitional track leading to an associate degree in applied science. The nursing workforce in rural Oklahoma faces severe shortages, and rural residents in Oklahoma receive less healthcare than do urban dwellers. As a result of preventative and healthcare disparities, rural residents are more likely to have higher morbidity and mortality rates than urban residents. Health disparities are especially prevalent among members of ethnic minority groups. These challenges highlight the need for nursing professionals (RN) in rural practice who have specific knowledge of rural people and places. The nursing shortage in our nation cannot be addressed without realizing the importance and need for highly skilled and qualified nurse educators. People are living longer and the increase in the population older than age 65 will put a strain on all aspects of health care. Great educators who promote competence, commitment, and compassion are needed to help the next generation become highly skilled nurses ? strengthening and sustaining our health care system?s needs for the ever-growing demand. Community colleges are the primary producer of professional nursing providers in rural Oklahoma. We need to take policy action now to ensure that we derive value from publicly financed workforce investments that produce the workforce to meet rural health needs. Community colleges are the primary producer of professional nursing providers in rural Oklahoma. We need to take policy action now to ensure that we derive value from publicly financed workforce investments that produce the workforce to meet rural health needs. This project would be a transformative investment in rural healthcare by providing a 25% increase in qualified nursing professionals and a dramatic increase in nursing education infrastructure for Eastern Oklahoma State College. In summary, Redlands plans to 1) provide additional opportunities for LPN transitions to our RN program, 2) increase nursing-specific recruiting and tutoring to boost retention and student achievement, 3) increase the quality and quantity of nursing simulation experiences by increasing the technology used and 4) increase the lab experiences of pre-nursing students to allow them to be better prepared for entry into the nursing program and provide increased opportunity for retention in the program.

EVIDENCE

Rural populations face increasing disparities in many health outcomes and a significant gap in life expectancy compared to urban populations. At the heart of these disparities is a lack of access to healthcare, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many rural areas have a shortage of healthcare providers and lack a hospital or similar facility. Many rural hospitals have closed or at financial risk of closure, which further impairs the local healthcare workforce. Nursing care is instrumental in achieving quality outcomes for patients, families, and communities and is the largest sector of the healthcare workforce. This situation is especially true in rural areas. Given the lack of access to specialists, the rural nurse is essential, treating patients with diverse and sometimes complicated conditions. Rural nurses are generalists, providing any care needed, such as dispensing medicine and treating patients with acute health problems or injuries for transfer to larger facilities. Many rural nurses have spent their entire lives in the same community and possess a deep understanding of the community. This proposal will address the shortage of healthcare providers by creating a 25% increase in professional nurses in those rural areas that are most at risk. In addition, it is important that we supply our students with up-to-date resources and equipment in our laboratory setting. Utilizing funds to upgrade our labs will help to increase student retention and completion and thus increase the number of RN?s in our communities.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Almost 40% of Oklahoma?s population belongs to a racial/ethnic minority group. Over 14% of Oklahoma?s population live in poverty. Research demonstrates health disparities in COVID-19 outcomes in the U.S., with members of racial and ethnic minority groups experiencing higher risks of COVID-19 positivity and disease severity. Further, socioeconomic and racial disparities in access to affordable healthcare options limit prevention education and treatment options for COVID-19, as well as many other chronic health conditions. Individuals identifying as white in Oklahoma are more likely to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 whereas Hispanics and Native Americans are overrepresented in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state. Increasing the number of nursing degree program graduates in Oklahoma aligns directly with the state?s efforts to improve health outcomes and health equity for its citizens.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The three most common performance outcome measures used by Boards of Nursing (BON) and other health profession accreditors are employment rates, completion rates, and NCLEX pass rates. In addition to these performance indicators, we will report the number of nursing graduates at Redlands. These four performance indicators will be recorded and presented to the House and Senate fiscal offices. This report will be presented on an annual basis once the grant is awarded.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma