Walsh University Awarded $200,000 Grant from Ohio Board of Nursing to Address Nursing Shortage in Ohio

Walsh University’s Byers School of Nursing was awarded a $200,000 grant from the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) Nurse Education Grant Program (NEGP). The program aims to address the Ohio nurse shortage by supporting nurse education programs to increase enrollment capacity of nursing students and nurse educators. The two-year grant will support implementation of several initiatives emphasizing undergraduate student support and program completion including:

• New program in partnership with Summa Health Barberton Hospital to provide nursing students with exposure to clinical practice experiences, one-on-one mentoring, professionalism, and exploration of nursing roles within healthcare.
• Two-to-three day residential, summer experience for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to gain exposure to the campus environment and nursing facilities.
• Development of a Career, Academics & Professional Success (CAPS) program in conjunction with Walsh’s Office of Career and Experiential Learning along with Summa Health Barberton Hospital.
• Additional staffing for Walsh nursing labs.
• Integration of virtual reality simulation into the nursing curriculum.

“Supporting our students has always been a hallmark of the Byers School of Nursing, however, this grant enables us to provide even more support academically, professionally and in the field, from the time students enroll until they graduate and beyond,” said Byers School of Nursing Dean Dr. Judy Kreye. “The addition of virtual reality simulation in the classroom will allow students to gain hands-on experience using cutting-edge technology. It’s the next phase in our commitment to provide state-of-the-art education for our nursing students.”

In addition to its traditional and fast-track (hybrid) Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, Walsh University’s Byers School of Nursing also offers Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate certificate programs in four tracks: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. These programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Higher Learning Commission. For more information, visit www.walsh.edu/nursing.