Twenty-three Nebraska nurses have been selected to enroll in a gerontologic nursing course through the Midwest Geriatric Nursing Quality Improvement program. The course is part of a $500,000, two-year grant to improve care in regional long-term care facilities.
The 10-week course will:
- Begin in January via the Internet;
- Be offered four times during the next two years;
- Help registered nurses employed in long-term care facilities develop knowledge and clinical competence in care of the elderly; and
- Prepare them for the American Nurses Credentialing Center Gerontological Nurse Certification exam. Passing the exam demonstrates the highest level of excellence in geriatric nursing care.
The grant also offers a nurse executive educational program to develop leadership and management skills for nurse managers and administrators employed in long-term care facilities.
The Vetter Foundation of Nebraska is the lead foundation for the grant; the UNMC College of Nursing is the lead organizational partner.
Funding for the grant is through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Northwest Health Foundation’s (NWHF) Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future program, a national initiative to help address the long-term shortage of nurses across the country. The RWJF and NWHF matched $250,000 in funds raised by the University of Nebraska Foundation through 13 local funding partners.
Participating registered nurses and their participating facility are:
- Alliance — Deb Shinn, Vetter Health Services
- David City — Dan Smith, Vetter Health Services
- Elkhorn — Shelley Bang, Rogers Beins, Vicki Blackwell, Terri Ernesti, Peggy Fairbanks, Alan McVay, Roxanne Smith and Shari Terry, Vetter Health Services
- Emerson — Mike Sexton, Vetter Health Services
- Grand Island — Don Nauss, Vetter Health Services
- Lincoln — Terry Weber, NYE Senior Services, and Michelle Hunter, Nancy Holmgren and Cindy Miller, Tabitha Health Care Services
- Omaha — Patsy Hack, Vetter Health Services
- Loup City — Janelle Krzycki, Vetter Health Services
- Schuyler — Sandy Renner and Sally Sims, Golden Living Center of Schuyler
- South Sioux City — Terry Tucker, NYE Senior Services
- Tekamah — Tammy Lippold and Sheila Margott, Golden Living Center of Tekamah