Mount Sinai Beth Israel Receives Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant

The Philips School of Nursing (PSON) at Mount Sinai Beth Israel recently received a Nursing Workforce Diversity grant of $800,000 from the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The four-year HRSA grant is intended to help increase access to nursing education for students from diverse backgrounds.

PSON’s new grant will support its Workforce Inclusion in Nursing (WIN) program to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation of individuals from diverse backgrounds in the Accelerated Associate of Applied Science program. WIN is the only accelerated associate nursing degree program in the country. Students will receive scholarships and monthly stipends, and the grant will help create new student services including an immersive Summer Boot Camp and mentoring program.

Carleen Graham, MSN, RN, NY-SAFE, Program Coordinator, will serve as program director for WIN, which will follow 21 students from entry to graduation throughout the grant period. She tells Newswise.com:

“It is an honor to be given such an amazing opportunity and responsibility. It is not only important to our school; it is important to our future nurses and the communities they will serve. This grant will help to address the shortage of nurses from underrepresented groups in New York City – considered to be one of the most diverse cities in the country. We are extremely excited to begin work on this important initiative”

Graduates of the fifteen-month WIN program will be eligible for Registered Nurse license examination upon graduation and will be offered direct entry into PSON’s accelerated program allowing registered nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Graduates of the WIN program will also receive assistance in securing employment as a registered nurse.