A $1 million federal grant awarded to the University of Michigan-Flint will benefit veterans by offering an accelerated nursing program that focuses on past military training, according to The Associated Press. The three-year grant was awarded by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention Program awarded the three-year grant, which will allow veterans to obtain a Bachelor of Science nursing degree. According to MLive Media Group, the program will also ensure that veterans are prepared to take the registered nurse license exam following the receipt of their degrees.
Preparing for the class of 2015
Looking ahead, the University of Michigan-Flint's nursing department is already working on a recruitment program. The school will use the fall semester to recruit and study academic portfolios before initiating the veterans nursing program plan starting at the beginning of 2015.
According to university nursing officials, veterans have already reached out to the school expressing interest in the program. The AP also reported that in the school's program description, the University of Michigan-Flint called the project particularly appealing because the campus is currently in need of more health professionals. Equally beneficial, the school is also in close proximity to counties with particularly high veteran populations. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs reported there are over 660,000 veterans currently living in Michigan.
A program by veterans, for veterans
An article published on the university's news page said the program – called Veterans serving Veterans – will reduce transition and matriculation barriers to allow past servicemembers to obtain a Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The team that designed the program includes a project director, program manager, advisor, administrative assistant, and evaluation consultant – some of which are veterans, according to the school. Namely, the director of the program is veteran, and assistant professor of nursing, Beverly Jones.