Grant Targets Shortage Of Nurses In Nebraska Schools

From Nebraska Examiner:

By Cindy Gonzalez

January 26, 2023

OMAHA — A $915,163 federal grant aims to address an “urgent” nursing shortage in Nebraska schools.

With the funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, University of Nebraska Medical Center officials plan to place 25 nursing students at K-12 schools across the state.

Those future nurses will gain experience in a broad range of public health situations, perhaps inspiring some to pursue that specialty, said Juliann Sebastian, dean of UNMC College of Nursing.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for students to add to their knowledge of school nursing and participate in didactic and clinical learning that provides in-depth knowledge of the needs of children in school settings,” she said.

A state assessment a couple of years ago showed that, on average, there was one nurse for every 1,100 or so school students.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends a ratio of one nurse for every 750 students, Sebastian said.

“So you can see we are not where we want to be,” she said.

A UNMC statement called the shortage of K-12 school nurses urgent. It’s part of a worrisome broader trend, Sebastian said, noting a recent report by the Nebraska Center for Nursing showing the number of working nurses in general dropping nearly 10% since 2018.

The funds creating the new School Nurse Scholars program are available across all five UNMC campuses. Students participating in the program will do so in addition to their typical academic workload, said Lisa Walters, a clinical instructor at the UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division.

Funneled through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the scholars program covers tuition, books and fees. The students will receive an additional $1,500 stipend for each semester enrolled.

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