Published: July 21, 2008 04:03 pm      

Master's in Nursing Scholarship recipients chosen

Oklahoma City — The Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center has selected three additional individuals to receive scholarships to obtain their Master’s of Science in Nursing degree through the OU College of Nursing online program. These scholarships, which now total eight, are awarded through a program designed to advance current nurse educators from bachelor’s to master’s level and provide more educational opportunities for potential nurses.

Recipients are: Lori Allen, RN, resident of Ada, a new faculty member at Murray State College nursing program, Tishomingo; Carol Williams, RN, Warner, faculty member at Indian Capital Technology Center practical nursing program, Sallisaw campus; and Kerri Wolf, RN, Stilwell, faculty member at Indian Capital Technology Center practical nursing program, Tahlequah campus.

The Oklahoma Hospital Education and Research Foundation Trust (OHERFT), an entity of the Oklahoma Hospital Association, was selected last year as one of 11 foundations nationwide to receive funding in the second year of Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future, a national initiative to develop and test solutions to America’s nursing shortage. The OHERFT project is one of the first initiatives of the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center. Strategic oversight and coordination of the grant is the responsibility of the Center, with strong support from its organizational partners, which include: the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, the OU College of Nursing and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

“These three scholarship recipients, who were each highly praised by those who sent recommendation letters, represent the future of nursing education in Oklahoma. They, among others in their field, hold the promise of having the most positive impact on health care in Oklahoma by educating tomorrow’s nursing workforce,” said Sheryl McLain, executive director, Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center.

Led by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Northwest Health Foundation, the program encourages local foundations to act as catalysts in developing grassroots strategies to establish a stable, adequate nursing workforce. To help develop solutions and lead efforts within the region, the Oklahoma program was awarded a two-year grant of $250,000, combined with an additional $125,000 from local partners.

Oklahoma partners that have contributed companion funds to the grant to date include: Valley View Regional Hospital, Ada; Tahlequah City Hospital; Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority, Talihina; Memorial Hospital of Stilwell and Atoka Memorial Hospital.

A health care industry report released in 2006 by the Oklahoma Governor’s Council for Workforce & Economic Development cited the lack of nursing faculty as a critical factor in alleviating Oklahoma’s current and impending nursing shortage.

The master’s in nursing education scholarship program is one of three components of the grant funding. Nurse educators are selected from technology centers, as well as two and four-year nursing programs in and around the areas of Talihina, Tahlequah and Ada.

For more information about the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center, visit www.ohcwc.com. Information about Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future is available at www.PartnersInNursing.org.