Chattanooga, TN (August 5, 2016) --- Chattanooga State Community college was recently awarded a $329,548 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities who are underrepresented among registered nurses. Chattanooga State’s Nursing Program is one of 13 nursing programs in the country to receive this nursing workforce diversity grant for 2016. 

Chattanooga State has designed a comprehensive program called RN-REBOOT (Retention, Enrichment, and Bridge Of Opportunities in Tennessee)—to address the academic, economic, and social barriers that impact retention and graduation rates for disadvantaged nursing students enrolled in its program. This one-year project will target the critical transition point in Chattanooga State’s nursing program from the first to second year, which has historically had the highest attrition rate—more than double the attrition rate compared to first year nursing courses.

Dr. Martina Harris, Director of Nursing, will serve as the principal investigator and project director for the RN-REBOOT Grant. RN-REBOOT will impact more than 340 nursing students, with targeted intensive interventions impacting 25 academically at-risk disadvantaged students who were unsuccessful in the third semester nursing course. 

“I am extremely excited about the RN-REBOOT Program and the amazing academic and financial support it will provide to our currently enrolled nursing students,” states Harris. “This program will work to improve retention and on-time graduation rates for disadvantaged nursing students who fail or have marginal performance in particular nursing courses.” 

The key outcomes expected from this grant include increasing the number of academically at-risk disadvantaged students who pass Nursing III on their first attempt; improving academic performance in classroom and clinical assessments; improving understanding of cultural differences and social determinants of health that impact nursing practice; and increasing the two-year graduation rate for academically at-risk disadvantaged students who graduate and enter the nursing workforce. 

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under grant number D19HP29806, Nursing Workforce Diversity Program, support this project through the Department of Human Services (HHS), for $329,548. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author. It should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor does HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government infer any endorsements. 

For more information about the Chattanooga State Nursing Program please contact the nursing program office at 423-493-8740 or visit our website www.chattanoogastate.edu/nursing-allied-health.