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Abstract #149571

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Martha W. Moon, RN, PhD, MPH and Milagritos L. Flinn, BA. School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980567, Richmond, VA 23298-0567, 804-828-1336, mwmoon@vcu.edu

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing received a 3-year NEPR grant from HRSA in July 2005. The objectives are: 1) to advance 10 associate degree/diploma-prepared public health nurses to the baccalaureate-prepared level; 2) to advance 20 associate degree/diploma-prepared Hispanic or Spanish-speaking nurses to the baccalaureate-prepared level; and 3) to enhance the cultural competence of faculty, students, and public health nurses as measured by a cultural competence survey. Methods: Our native Spanish-speaking recruiter has visited community colleges, hospitals, and health departments; developed brochures and posters; conducted print, radio, and television interviews; spoken at health organizations and conferences; and advertised in print and on radio. We have offered Spanish language and culture classes and cultural diversity seminars. Successes: During the first half of the grant period, we have enrolled 4 public health nurses (67% of goal to date) and 14 Spanish-speaking nurses (117% of goal to date), and have collected cultural competence survey data on 1080 students and faculty, with a statistically significant increase of 4% in mean of survey results for RN-BS students from entering to completion (pre- vs. post-test results). Over 200 students have enrolled in Spanish classes and attended seminars. Challenges: Our greatest challenges are the lack of financial incentives for public health nurses and Spanish-speaking applicants and the relatively small pool of qualified Spanish-speaking RNs. We will discuss strategies, successes, and challenges in implementing this grant.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify strategies used to increase the number of baccalaureate-prepared public health nurses and Spanish-speaking nurses in the workforce.
• Describe challenges to the impelmentation of this grant.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Handout (free access)