Business Education

FSU receives $2.07M grant for nursing program expansion from UNC System office

By Staff Report, posted 11 months ago
Nursing Pinning Ceremony. Photo courtesy of FSU.

Fayetteville State University has been awarded a $2,069,213 grant from the University of North Carolina System as part of the Health Care Workforce Expansion Initiative.

This funding will enable FSU's School of Nursing to expand its program and “bolster undergraduate degree completions.” The SON currently has 113 students enrolled in its pre-licensure track and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. During the 2024 Commencement in May, 23 nurses graduated from FSU and the group boasted an impressive 95.24% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN® examination.

“Resources from this award will allow the School of Nursing to enhance student success initiatives, expand clinical education opportunities and support faculty development,” said Jennifer Johnson Edwards, Ph.D., associate dean and professor for FSU’s School of Nursing, in a press release. “Increasing successful nursing degree completions is expected to help mitigate the current health care workforce shortage we are experiencing.”

Supporting the UNC System’s goal to produce more nursing graduates, the North Carolina General Assembly funded the grants. The state projects a shortage of up to 18,600 registered nurses over the next decade, a major challenge for health care providers and an aging patient population, according to an analysis by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Sheps Center for Health Services Research.

“Dedicated nurses are the backbone of a strong health care system, and we see huge demand for nursing talent across North Carolina,” said UNC System President Peter Hans in a press release. “Our public universities not only train the next generation of nurses, but also provide excellent professional development and life-saving research for health care providers. I’m grateful to our lawmakers for helping us meet those needs more effectively.”

The UNC System allocated a total of $29 million to 12 public universities and North Carolina’s Area Health Education Centers in an effort to address the nursing workforce shortage in North Carolina and enhance the quality of health care education. The System’s intent is to increase its output of nursing degrees by 50% over the next decade.

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
north-carolina-military-business-center bill-simons headshott

Federal Food Series Webinars Will Connect North Carolina Food Businesses with Government Buyers

Bill Simons - Regional Program Manager, Goldsboro, North Carolina Military Business Center
fayetteville-state-university sambit-bhattacharya-phd headshott

FSU students and faculty make strides towards advancement in applied AI in the Intelligent Systems Laboratory

Sambit Bhattacharya, Ph.D. - Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Intelligent Systems Lab, Fayetteville State University
arts-council-of-fayettevillecumberland-county josh-murray headshott

ArtScape 9 Brings New Public Art and Sponsorship Opportunities to Downtown Fayetteville

Josh Murray - Director of Development, Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County

In The Current Issue

Wrapping up nicely: Major construction finishes up on new R & R Brewing location coming soon to downtown Clinton

Since announcing their intention to move into the historical Henry Vann building in 2023, the R & R team has been busy working with local and state historical preservation organizations to renovate the building.


Rich in memories: Rich Farm & Venue offers affordable space with modern amenities for customers to reserve for their special celebrations

Rich Farm & Venue is a 37-acre space with amenities suitable for any occasion such as weddings, birthday parties and more. Photos provided by Rich Farm & Venue. Rich Farm & Venue in the town of Roseboro combines affordable prices and


A novel concept: New bookstore and wine bar coming to downtown Fayetteville

Kellie Artis is the owner of Bound & Vine, a soon-to-open independent bookstore and wine bar. Photo by GFBJ. Bookworms and wine lovers are in for a treat as downtown’s newest tenant prepares to open later this year. Kellie Artis is the