A renowned leader in nursing education, Mount Mercy University has announced plans for significant nursing program investment, thanks in part to a $200,000 grant awarded by the Carver Charitable Trust.
This generous award brings the Carver Charitable Trust’s lifetime support of Mount Mercy to over $1 million and will fund enhancements to simulation and assessment labs and enable implementation of a telehealth delivery system.
“We are thankful for our nearly 30-year partnership with the Carver Charitable Trust,” said President Laurie Hamen. “The Carver Trust has provided annual scholarships for Carver Scholars and invested in multiple capital projects including the extensive renovation of three chemistry labs completed in 2016. Their continued support shows they believe in Mount Mercy’s mission, and for that, we’re especially thankful.”
Upgrades to labs will benefit both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs—including the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program which will be launched this fall. The main-campus telehealth room will connect to a provider telehealth room located at Mount Mercy’s CRST International Graduate Center, allowing DNP students the opportunity to simulate the nurse practitioner role at a distance, while undergraduate students use the telehealth assessment and diagnostic equipment.
“Eighty-five percent of Mount Mercy’s nursing graduates have remained in Iowa—the majority in Eastern Iowa,” said Mary Tarbox, professor and chair of the department of nursing. “The simulation and telehealth experiences will be essential in preparing all nursing students for urban and rural health care services.”
This is especially important, Tarbox says, because of Iowa’s shortage of nurses in rural areas. According to a Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation publication, “Tapping Nurse Practitioners to Meet Rising Demand for Primary Care,” over 58 million Americans reside in geographic areas where the supply of primary care professionals falls below federally defined standards.
“Our DNP program focuses on rural health, experiences in innovation and entrepreneurial skills designed to address this deficit,” Tarbox said.
To learn more about Mount Mercy’s nursing programs, visit: www.mtmercy.edu/nursing.