State Awards $2.6 million Grant to A-State, ASU-Beebe, to Boost Nursing Education
JONESBORO – The College of Nursing and Health Professions at Arkansas State University is the recipient of a $2,598,396 grant from the state Department of Commerce and the Arkansas Linking Industry to Growing Nurses (ALIGN) program to help attract, prepare and keep more nurses in the state.
A portion of the total grant announced by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a sub-award to Arkansas State University-Beebe.
A-State’s proposal, “Expanding the Arkansas Nursing Workforce: Recruit, Retain, and Reimagine (R3)” addresses the state’s nursing shortage by providing strategies to attract and keep nursing personnel in the state.
Dr. Scott E. Gordon, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, is the project lead, while Dr. Sarah J. Davidson, associate dean for nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, is co-lead.
“In addition to enrolling more students, our plan to enhance student preparation before and during program enrollment will translate to higher student retention, higher graduation rates, and higher Arkansas State Board of Nursing Licensure (NCLEX) Exam pass rates,” Gordon said.
In addition to the state funding, the university has partnered with local healthcare providers for matching funding. To be eligible for the state grant, applicants secured $1 for each $2 provided by the state.
A-State will partner with St. Bernards Healthcare and NEA Baptist Health System. ASU-Beebe will partner with Unity Health, ARcare, and The Crossing at Riverside. The total of grant funding and partner matching funds is $3,901,671.
Each of the successful applicants for the state grants proposed their own projects or equipment needs.
“Implementing our expanded and enhanced educational plan in collaboration with our healthcare partners will produce significantly greater numbers of high-quality LPNs and RNs entering the Arkansas workforce,” Gordon added. “Moreover, it will enable our graduates to transition more quickly through their education as well as through the employer onboarding process to independent patient care at hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare employers.”
The project includes elements that reimagine the future of nursing student recruitment and education in Arkansas, providing a sustainable element to this project, Davidson emphasized.
“This funding will allow us to provide access to cutting edge technology in our professional nursing programs to prepare RN graduates for current healthcare demands,” she also said. "Innovative teaching models such as the Designated Education Unit will be expanded with our clinical partners, St. Bernards Healthcare and NEA Baptist Health System, to provide students with more opportunities for clinical experiences that translate into a quicker transition to practice and better patient outcomes."
Here is the complete news release from the state Department of Commerce:
Sanders, Commerce Department Announce $20M to Grow State's Nursing Pipeline
LITTLE ROCK – On Monday, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Secretary Hugh McDonald, and Cody Waits, director of Arkansas Workforce Connection, announced more than $20 million in training grants to support the development of the nursing profession in Arkansas. Through the Arkansas Linking Industry to Growing Nurses (ALIGN) Program, Arkansas Office of Skills Development (OSD) has awarded $20.4 million to 19 Arkansas two- and four-year colleges and universities. The ALIGN Program is designed to upskill nursing professionals, expand nursing apprenticeship programs, and increase nurse educator recruitment and retention.
“As Governor, one of my biggest priorities is preparing young Arkansans for the careers of the future. Healthcare and nursing is one of our primary areas of focus,” said Governor Sanders. “The 19 2- and 4-year colleges and universities receiving grants today train some of the best nurses in America. Each of them will help us build Arkansas’ next generation of healthcare professionals.”
“Nurses play a critical role in delivering quality healthcare in our state. It is essential that we have qualified nursing professionals to meet Arkansans’ healthcare needs today and in the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “Increasing educational opportunities and apprenticeships is vital for developing the nursing pipeline in Arkansas, and the ALIGN Program will provide funding to support the growth of our state’s nursing field.”
Public and private post-secondary educational institutions in Arkansas providing LPN, RN, and BSN degrees were eligible to apply for the ALIGN grant funding. All applicants were required to provide a healthcare partner contribution with a two-to-one match by the state for each dollar contributed by the healthcare partner.
Funding for the ALIGN grants is through the America Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Eligible funding usage includes professional upskilling, expanding nursing apprenticeship, increasing nurse educator recruitment and retention, expanding clinical rotations, increasing nursing program capacity, tuition reimbursement, equipment purchasing, stimulations centers, and expansion of labs.
All ALIGN award funding must be expended by December 31, 2026.
Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences at Arkansas State University
