Indiana Center for Nursing Receives Funding for Innovative Work To Help Nursing Build a Healthier America
The Indiana Center for Nursing is among 12 organizations throughout the nation that will receive up to $25,000 each for new or ongoing work that addresses nursing’s role in building a Culture of Health and promoting health equity, the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), announced. The Innovation Fund winners were selected based on submissions of replicable strategies that help nurses build a Culture of Health and promote health equity and well-being, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
The competition was limited to the Campaign’s state-affiliate “Action Coalitions,” or organizations designated by Action Coalitions. Applicants were required to raise matching funds to be considered.
In addition to the award in Indiana, the Campaign announced that Action Coalitions or their designees in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia also received awards. Massachusetts, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia also received this award last year.
“We are proud to be selected and look forward to building on our work to create replicable strategies that help nurses build a Culture of Health and promote health equity and well-being,” said Dr. Ann White, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Profession, University of Southern Indiana. USI is a contributing member of the Indiana Center for Nursing and supports the grant initiative. “The work we are doing to transform nursing improves health and health care for everyone. We are grateful to AARP Foundation, AARP, and RWJF for this support”
Dr. Ann White and Kim Harper, Director of ICN recognize and support the Indiana schools of higher education and hospital systems that will focus on implementing a mentoring program and holistic admissions in higher education to increase diversity in the workforce with this funding opportunity.
“As trusted providers on the front lines of care, nurses have a unique understanding of the needs of their communities. These states are demonstrating how nurses are taking that important perspective and using it to implement innovative programs to address the social determinants of health,” said Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior adviser for nursing at RWJF and director of the Campaign for Action. “The Foundation is committed to providing states with the support they need to lead efforts that promote health equity and well-being.”
Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and director of the AARP Public Policy Institute, and chief strategist at the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and RWJF, which coordinates the Campaign for Action, added:
“We are pleased to support the important work of our Action Coalitions and their designees with this funding opportunity. Since the days of Florence Nightingale, nurses have been making people and communities healthier. Our hope is that each of these organizations will use these funds to continue their work to build a Culture of Health in their state.”
The goal for this two-year award is to assist in the creation of replicable strategies that sustain Action Coalition work while highlighting the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
About the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action
Indiana Center for Nursing and the University of Southern Indiana are collaborative partners in the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, a national initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and RWJF, working to implement the Institute of Medicine’s evidence-based recommendations on the future of nursing. The Campaign includes Action Coalitions in 50 states and the District of Columbia and a wide range of health care professionals, consumer advocates, policy-makers, and the business, academic, and philanthropic communities. The Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and RWJF, serves as the coordinating entity for the Campaign. Learn more at www.campaignforaction.org. Follow the Campaign for Action on Twitter at @Campaign4Action and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CampaignForAction.