Health Education in Merrimack Valley

Mayor’s Health Task Force, April 25, 2008

“The Tapestry of Public Health in Lawrence”

Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, APRN, BC, FAANPProfessor and Chair, Department of NursingSchool of Health and EnvironmentUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell

UMLowell Health Degree Programs Bachelor of Science in

Clinical Laboratory Science Medical Technology Clinical Sciences Nutritional Science

Health Education Community Health Environmental Health

Nursing Pre-licensure RN-BS degree completion

Exercise Physiology

UMLowell Health Degree Programs Master’s of Science in

Clinical Laboratory Sciences Health Management and Policy Health Informatics Nursing

Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health Family Health Nursing Gerontological Nursing

Work Environment Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention Epidemiology Ergonomics/Safety Occupational Hygiene Work Environment Policy

UMLowell Health Degree Programs Doctorates

Nursing – PhD Focus on Health Promotion

Nursing - DNP Approval for Fall 2009

Work Environment - ScD Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention Epidemiology Ergonomics/Safety Occupational Hygiene Work Environment Policy

Physical Therapy - DPT

Bring Diversity to Nursing

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Funded project, “Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Workforce Development,” 2007-2010 Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, APRN, BC - Principal Investigator Dr. Jacqueline Dowling - Co-Principal Investigator Drs. Lisa Abdallah, Mary Findeisen, Margaret Knight - Co-Investigators

Ramona Nunez, RN, BS, Minority Nurse Recruiter Renee Michaud, Graduate Research Assistant Lori Piacenza, Project Administrator Kayla Isabelle, UML Art Design Student

Health Disparities and Health Professions Of all Massachusetts students graduating

from nursing programs (diploma, AD, BS), only 3.8% were of Hispanic background and 6.3% were from an Asian background

Of these individuals, only 0.8% of Hispanic and 5% of Asians obtained a baccalaureate degree

(MACN, 2004)

UMass Lowell Nursing UML is culturally, socially, and academically

diverse, with 21% of students coming from ethnic/racial minority groups

Nursing graduates from 2004-2006 (n=134) were surveyed Only 2% of individuals reported a Hispanic background Only 2% reported an Asian background When compared to the large Hispanic and Asian

populations in the Lowell and Lawrence area, these numbers are clearly inadequate to meet existing workforce needs

UMass Lowell Nursing

The number of ethnically diverse nursing students must increase if the health care needs of the population are to be addressed effectively

Of the total 279 undergraduate nursing majors for Fall 2007, race/ethnicity data reveal 12 self-report as Asian/Pacific Island 15 self-report Hispanic 19 self-report Black (non-Hispanic)

(UML, Institutional Research, October 2007)

Health Disparities and Health Professions Education

Primary focus of BDN program is to RECRUIT by

Providing access for minority/disadvantaged students to the nursing profession through pre-entry and recruitment efforts

Reaching out to middle and high schools Lawrence & Lowell Offering twice yearly the ‘Introduction to Nursing’ Part I and II, and

‘Nursing as a Career’ Part I and II after-school workshops Offering Summer College Prep and Young Scholars workshops Participating in Career Fairs – Lowell, Lawrence, NECC, MCC Implementing job shadowing related to nursing as a career for

middle and high schools and YMCA Teen Achiever and Junior Teen Achiever Program

Developing promotional material (posters, logo, brochures, website)

Partnerships

UMass Lowell Nursing, in partnership with: Graduate School of Education’s Summer

College Prep Program, Lawrence Middle and High Schools, Lowell Middle and High Schools, and Merrimack Valley/Lawrence YMCA Teen and

Junior Teen Achievers Program

Goal: Recruit minority and economically disadvantaged students into Nursing at UMass Lowell

BDN Nursing Assessment Survey

Online Assessment Survey underway Knowledge of Nursing

as a Career Choice Interest in Nursing as a

Career Choice

Summer College Prep Program Lawrence middle and high school students

participate at UMass Lowell’s Graduate School of Education offering

Nursing workshops scheduled for 4 sessions during this program

Summer 2007, 90 participants in the Nursing workshops through the College Prep program

Lawrence and Lowell Middle and HS Fall 2008, Spring 2009

Middle Schools – 4 week after-school “Nursing as a Career Choice” workshops, Part I and Part II

Fall 2008, Spring 2009 High Schools – 4 week after-school “Introduction

to Nursing” workshops, Part I and Part II

BDN Outreach Activities

Open Houses Middlesex Community College Northern Essex Community College

Information Sessions RN-BS Lahey Clinic

Career Fairs Lowell High School Lawrence High School

Goals and Future Plans for BDN Project HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant submitted;

this additional funding would focus on RETENTION

Rigorous retention efforts that provide tailored educational experience and well-coordinated mentoring system

Scholarships and stipends to financially support qualified students to become professional nurses

Graduation of minority and disadvantaged nursing students who can provide needed health care for diverse populations

Retention in Nursing Program Activities Guided by evidence-based educational models that demonstrate

success in retaining minority/disadvantaged students Personal needs include: financial support, laptop

computers/software, and acquisition of time management and self-empowerment skills

Academic needs include: individual and small group peer tutoring, support services for professional nursing courses, creating innovative culturally appropriate teaching strategies via case study analysis, and offering a course that prepares students for the rigorous reading, test-taking, and clinical requirements expected for academic success

Cultural needs include: individualized learning experiences, culturally sensitive and competent nursing faculty, minority student support group counseling sessions, ethnic role models in clinical and community settings, and extracurricular social/cultural activities

Provide scholarships and stipends and needed support Laptop computers and PDAs

provided

Conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative research to provide us with better understanding of the needs of minority/disadvantaged nursing students

Create a community of learning Centered around minority/

disadvantaged students Provide strong leadership Faculty and university support Peer to peer mentoring Early intervention Conducive learning environment

Questions?