Clarke Receives Grant to Train Nurses for Underserved Areas

Clarke University has received a $700,000 grant from Health Resources and Services Administration’s Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship program to recruit and educate nurses for rural and underserved populations. The grant will provide $350,000 per year over a two-year period, comprising 100 percent of the project cost. The Clarke AENT Traineeship Program will provide annual awards to be distributed among students in Clarke’s three-year doctor of nursing practice program. “Our students have demonstrated such commitment to their clients in rural and underserved areas,” said Ann Weltin, DNP, assistant professor of nursing. “Already they are impacting healthcare and the needs of so many.” The goal of Clarke’s AENT Traineeship Program is to increase the number of primary care health providers in rural areas of northeast Iowa, southwest Wisconsin and northwest Illinois. The program will enhance recruitment of nurses from rural areas who are usually on a lower salary scale than their urban counterparts. It will provide financial assistance as students balance family responsibilities, work and ongoing education without incurring large debt. Clarke’s three-year DNP program is offered in hybrid format (online, on campus and at clinic), giving working nurses the opportunity to pursue the advanced practice degree. A five-year, part-time pathway for the BSN-DNP program is also available. The MSN-DNP bridge program is a full-time, 18-month program. For more information, contact the Clarke University Marketing and Communication Office at (563)588-6318. Clarke University is a Catholic, liberal arts and sciences university dedicated to preparing students who positively impact their workplace, family and community. Academic offerings include more than 40 undergraduate liberal arts and pre-professional programs, a robust adult degree program and six graduate degree programs.  Founded in 1843 by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Clarke is located near the Mississippi River in the thriving city of Dubuque, Iowa. It is the only BVM university in the country.