Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence and AACN Move Forward to Expand the Nation’s Supply of PhD and DNP Nurses
Nursing Schools Interested in Applying for New Funding Must
Complete an Online Survey by July 12
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 21, 2013 – The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) are pleased to announce that the application process for new scholarship funding for nursing students enrolled in research-focused (PhD) and practice-focused (DNP) doctoral programs is currently underway. Earlier this spring, the Jonas Center announced funding for the fourth cohort of Jonas Doctoral Nurse Scholars, which will support doctoral nursing students whose research and clinical practice is focused on care of our nation’s veterans and students seeking faculty roles after graduation. Schools interested in applying for this funding must complete an online survey by July 12, 2013 with complete applications due in November 2013.
“The Jonas Center is committed to addressing the critical need to prepare the next generation of nursing faculty and develop clinical leaders to support our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Darlene Curley, Executive Director of the Jonas Center. “We are pleased to be joining with AACN to help advance our goals.”
“Given the Institute of Medicine’s call to double the number of nurses with doctoral degrees, securing support to move more nurses into PhD and DNP programs has become a national priority” said AACN President Jane Kirschling. “The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence has answered this call to action by providing generous funding to prepare more doctoral students for leadership roles as nurse educators and clinical specialists. AACN applauds the Jonas Center for taking decisive action to enhance patient care by supporting nursing education.”
Funding for the fourth cohort of Jonas Doctoral Nurse Scholars will support 250 Jonas Scholars over a two-year period (Fall 2014–Spring 2016). Of the total cohort, 100 Scholars will be chosen for the Jonas Veterans Healthcare Program, which supports nursing PhD and DNP students whose research or clinical practice is specifically focused on the unique healthcare needs of our veteran population. In addition, 150 students will be chosen for the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholars Program, which supports nursing PhD students who are committed to filling roles as nursing school faculty, and DNP students, who will fill roles as leaders in primary care and/or clinical faculty.
For more details on the Jonas Center’s groundbreaking work to address the nurse faculty shortage and the healthcare needs of veterans, click here.
To disburse the latest round of funding, the Jonas Center will work with AACN to administer this program with grants awarded directly to universities and colleges, who will then choose eligible students to receive the scholarships. Participation in this program is open by invitation to schools accredited by a nursing accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Nursing schools interested in applying for the Jonas Veterans Healthcare Program and/or Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program must complete an online survey by Friday, July 12, 2013.
Schools submitting a survey will be invited to attend a technical assistance workshop in September, which will provide detailed guidance for completing a formal application. Final applications are due on November 22, 2013, and funding decisions will be made in January 2014. For more details about this program and to access the online survey, contact Marta Wall at mwall@aacn.nche.edu or 202-463-6930, extension 220.
Founded in 2006, the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence is dedicated to improving healthcare by advancing nursing scholarship, leadership and innovation. Its two main programs are the Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program, which aims to address the dire shortage of nursing faculty by preparing nurses with doctoral degrees to step into this critical role, and the Jonas Veterans Healthcare Program, which seeks to improve the health of veterans by supporting doctoral-level nursing candidates committed to advancing veterans’ healthcare. These programs currently support more than 250 doctoral scholars nationwide.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 720 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN’s educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor’s- and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. Website: www.aacn.nche.edu