Smart Health for Rural Communities Minnesota Rural Health Care Conference July 18 and 19, 2005

1. Smart Health for Rural CommunitiesMinnesota Rural Health Care ConferenceJuly 18 and 19, 2005 CLEAN Grant:Career Ladder for the Education and Advancement of Nursing Carol Church, RN BSN MS Itasca Community College

2. Economic Development and Need • Nursing Shortage presently and in the future * Areas of Shortage: Nursing Assistants-5,321 openings-43.4% in Greater MN LPNs-1,658 openings-40.8% in Greater MN RNs-2,918 openings-25.3% in Greater MN (From the Minnesota Job Vacancy Survey of February, 2001): * Average age of nurses in Minnesota is 45 years old. * Increasing Geriatric Population: projection of 54% increase in the 65 and older population across Minnesota within next 10 years (Minnesota State Planning Agency 2002) • Need for “home grown” Nurses • Need for accessible Nursing Education

3. Collaborative Partners Educational Institutions: • Rainy River Community College: Nursing Assistant Courses and Practical Nursing Program • Itasca Community College: Nursing Assistant Courses and Practical Nursing Program • Hibbing Community College: Nursing Assistant Courses and Registered Nursing Program Clinical Partners: Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital, Deer River Health Care Center, Big Fork Valley, International Falls and Baudette Hospitals School Districts, Home Care Agencies, Community Detox Centers, Local Mental Health Agencies, and others…..

4. Department of Health and Human ServicesHealth Resources and Services Administration HRSA Grant Award • Awarded in 2003 • 3 Year Grant • $500,000

5. Major Goals of the Grant • Create an online track of articulation for and delivery of nursing education: NA HHA  NAR II  TMA  LPN RN • Infuse Rural Theory and Concepts into our nursing curriculums • Increase the number of LPNs and RNs in our Rural Communities • Develop and operationalize a Preceptor Program for Rural Communities to allow students to stay in their own communities for their Nursing Clinical experiences

6. To make online education and technology happen: Faculty: • All Faculty interested in being involved took an online education course through HCC • Faculty attended CTL Workshop in St.Cloud related to online education • Faculty attended on campus D2L workshops • Faculty were compensated for their development of online courses. Technical Support: • Grant paid for ½ time release of faculty person to assist with online course development Strategic Plan: • Followed our Strategic plan, as outlined in the Grant Objectives– related to recruitment, collaboration, delivery of coursework, etc…… • Held many meetings of the Program Directors

7. Program Delivery on Line for 2005-2006 Hibbing Community College: • Will deliver their Theory Courses online to the Second Cohort group of 30 LPN to RN Students • Clinical will be conducted in the student’s home communities of International Falls and Grand Rapids Itasca Community College: • Will deliver their Nursing Theory Courses to the First Cohort group of 15 Practical Nursing Students • Clinical will be according to an alternate calendar of every other weekend to learn Skills and gain clinical experience • 20 of the Second Cohort group of HCC’s LPN to RN Students will take proctored exams at the College and gain clinical experiences in the Grand Rapids Clinical Sites Rainy River Community College: • Can offer the TMA online; Share Faculty for online course delivery for ICC • 10 of the Second Cohort group of HCC’s LPN to RN Students will take proctored exams at the College and gain clinical experiences in the I.Falls Clinical Sites

8. Creation of a Portal for Online Resources • Portal site address: www.cleanefoliomn.us

9. Challenges • Changes in Leadership • Recruitment • Resources • Realization of Rural Concepts: Insiders versus Outsiders and New Comers versus Old Timers • Time • Communication • Sense of Identity for Students: ICC, HCC, RRCC

10. Strengths • Passion and Commitment of Program Directors, and College Administration • Motivated students to pursue new educational delivery models • Engagement of our rural community partners

11. 2005 Successes • Graduated 13 CLEAN Grant Associate Degree Nursing Students in May from the Grand Rapids Area ____ have passed their State Board Licensure Exam ____ have secured RN Nursing Positions • Graduated 5 CLEAN Grant Associate Degree Nursing Students in May from the International Falls Area ____ have passed their State Board Licensure Exam ____ have secured RN Nursing Positions

12. Ultimately, the intent is to make Nursing Education accessible for distance learners… to boost local economy, allow rural communities to “grow their own” nurses and address nursing shortages.

13. Questions/Contacts • Carol Church Itasca Community College Practical Nursing Program cchurch@itascacc.edu • Barbara Bozicevich Hibbing Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program barbarabozicevich@hcc.mnscu.edu • Judy Junker Rainy River Community College Practical Nursing Program jjunker@rrcc.mnscu.edu • Karen Skraba CLEAN Clinical Coordinator kskraba@itascacc.edu or 218-244-3728