$2.9M Grant Awarded to Expand Missoula College Nursing Program
Nursing students at Missoula College review notes in preparation for examinations. (UM photo by Coral Scoles-Coburn)
MISSOULA – The state needs more nurses, and two University of Montana entities recently earned a $2.9 million federal grant to help heal the problem.
The Missoula College Nursing Program worked with UM’s Office of Health Research & Partnership to secure funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The grant will expand UM’s LPN-to-RN Bridge Program.
Missoula College and OHRP partnered to develop and implement the LPN-to-RN Bridge Program, which has successfully trained nurses to serve Montana’s rural and medically underserved communities.
The success and demand for this program played a large part in pursuing additional funding to expand access to the program, said OHRP Director Lily Apendaile.
“We are excited to build upon the great work of the LPN-to-RN Bridge program to develop a pathway for other allied health professionals to become registered nurses,” Apedaile said. “This funding will allow us to develop a bridge program for health professionals such as paramedics, advanced EMTs, military medics and medical assistants to help improve the nursing workforce shortage in Montana.”
The new Allied Health-to-RN Bridge program will use a model similar to the LPN-to-RN Bridge by offering online, asynchronous coursework. The program also will offer credit for prior learning options and use a competency-based education approach, allowing students to apply their previous work experience toward program requirements.
Another important feature of this program will be the online classes paired with clinical training in the students’ local communities. Apedaile said this will enable working allied health professionals to participate in the program without having to move or reduce their employment status.
“Allied health professionals, like paramedics, advanced EMTs and medical assistants, bring an exceptional foundation of clinical knowledge, critical thinking and experience caring for patients in high-pressure situations,” said Tina Barker, the Missoula College LPN-to-RN Bridge program director. “This program will recognize the skills they already possess and provide an educational bridge to an associate of science in nursing degree and eligibility for RN licensure, rather than them having to start over to achieve their goal.
“We believe this will create an exciting new opportunity for both Montana allied health professionals and the communities they serve,” Barker added.
Not only will this program help allied health professionals access a registered nursing degree program from anywhere in Montana, she said, but it will also support rural healthcare facilities and communities in building local career pathways for paramedics, advanced EMTs, military medics and medical assistants.
“The program will partner with healthcare facilities to develop apprenticeship opportunities so students can earn a wage while upskilling to become an RN, while also supporting rural healthcare facilities’ need for skilled healthcare workers,” Barker said.
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Contact: Lily Apedaile, director, UM Office of Health Research and Partnership, 406-243-7946, lily.apedaile@mso.umt.edu; Tina Barker, director, Missoula College LPN-to-RN Bridge Program, 406-243-7885, tina.barker@mso.umt.edu.