Northern Arizona University (NAU) recently received a $6.4 million grant as part of an Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) initiative meant to address Arizona’s nursing shortage.
The university was one of five institutions across the state to receive grant money on Jan. 31, which together totals $43.1 million.
Each university will be using the grant to fund scholarships in accelerated nursing programs, with the requirement that recipients practice nursing in Arizona for at least four years after receiving their degree.
The ADHS announcement lists that NAU’s funding will be used for 240 of the 900 total scholarships.
“We are committed to ensuring students are prepared to enter the nursing workforce our state desperately needs,” president José Luis Cruz Rivera said in NAU’s announcement. “Thanks to this state grant, NAU will significantly expand its nursing program offerings and educate more students who will positively contribute to serving Arizona’s communities and address health equity throughout our state.”
On Feb. 24, the State Board of Nursing approved NAU’s expanding its accelerated nursing program to be offered in North Valley as well as Flagstaff, saving students some travel time. This program is a post-baccalaureate, requiring an existing non-nursing degree and takes 12 months to complete over three consecutive semesters.
The compressed BSN takes 16 months to complete and does not require a bachelor’s degree. It is offered at NAU’s Flagstaff, Tucson and Yuma campuses and is completed through four consecutive semesters.
Scholarships for the accelerated program will be available to students starting this summer, while students starting in fall 2023 will be the first eligible for scholarships in the compressed program.