UoM’s Loewenberg College of Nursing Receives $2.7 Million HRSA Grant for Family Nurse Practitioner Program

July 18, 2019 - The University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing has been awarded a $2.7 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program.

HRSA’s ANEW Program provides funding for projects that support innovative academic-practice partnerships to prepare primary care advanced practice registered nursing students through academic and clinical training for practice with a focus on rural and underserved populations.

The grant was awarded to Dr. Anita Boykins, principle investigator, for the proposed Family Nurse Practitioner-Health Education & Access for Rural Tennesseans (FNP-HEART) program, which will address the shortage of primary care and mental health professionals and improve health disparities for medically underserved populations in rural West Tennessee.

“The HRSA-funded project led by Dr. Boykins enables nursing faculty to prepare FNP graduates to serve rural Tennesseans,” said Dr. Lin Zhan, dean of the Loewenberg College. “Specifically, the project will enhance clinical academic practice partnerships, implement immersive clinical experience for FNP students, develop FNP preceptors, provide traineeship support and design a curriculum with the integration of telehealth, mental health and rural health. We continue serving the interests of our community and working toward achieving health equity for all.”

FNP-HEART will provide traineeship funds for 20 diverse FNP students each year, for a total of 80 during the grant period of July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2023. It is designed to produce more FNPs who are ready to practice in rural, medically underserved communities in West Tennessee.

Academic-practice partnerships for enhanced interprofessional education and clinical training will take place at two federally qualified health centers – Hardeman County Community Health Center and Lifespan Health – and three rural health clinics: Primary Care Clinic of Trezevant, Miracle Health Care LLC and Whiteville Family Medical Clinic LLC.