WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) has been awarded a $359,000 grant to provide continued support for the recent expansion of the nursing program.
The funds were part of $5 million awarded to 13 Missouri colleges and universities through the Missouri State Board of Nursing to enhance nursing education programs statewide. The funding was announced by Missouri Governor Mike Parson on Dec. 16.
Lisa Wade, dean of nursing and allied health, said the grant funds awarded to MSU-WP will be used for personnel needs associated with expanding the LPN-to-RN program, including program coordination, faculty and staff support positions.
This past spring the Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN) approved the expansion of the LPN-to-RN program from 30 students to 60 students annually (30 students in the fall and 30 in the spring). Twenty-five students were seated for the first fall cohort, and 30 students – out of more than 70 applicants – have been admitted for the spring cohort.
“Over the past three years we have seen an increase in demand for our online LPN-to-RN program,” Wade said. “This expansion has provided more opportunities for LPNs to advance their careers and contribute to meeting the nursing workforce demands in the state.
“The funds will go towards strengthening the nursing education infrastructure and will help produce highly skilled and competent nurses who are well equipped to meet the healthcare needs in the region,” she added.
The infrastructure enhancements include the addition of a coordinator for the LPN-to-RN program, nursing faculty and an advising/admission counselor, Wade said.
“The personnel needs are aimed at accommodating the increased enrollment and ensuring the program can effectively educate and support a larger cohort of LPN-to-RN students,” she explained. “By supporting these positions, the program can accommodate and meet the needs of more students.”
Pilot program for preceptors
In addition to the staff enhancements, the funds will be used to pilot a program for paying RN Preceptorships, Wade said.
Preceptors are registered nurses not employed by the university who provide clinical supervision for nursing students during select clinical learning experiences, she explained. They are typically designated by the clinical facilities to mentor and assist in the training of student nurses.
“Nursing instructors still oversee and evaluate the students’ clinical performances and progression but rely heavily on RN preceptors to mentor and enhance the clinical learning experience,” she said.
Currently, MSU-WP is unable to provide compensation for these preceptors, but Wade said university officials are proposing to pilot a paid preceptorship model to explore its potential benefits, confirm the necessity of compensation and evaluate sustainability options.
“This model aims to incentivize RN preceptors for their mentorship thereby enhancing the clinical learning experience for students. Through this pilot, we will assess the impact of compensation on preceptor engagement, student outcomes and overall program effectiveness,” Wade explained.
“The findings will guide future decisions on implementing a sustainable compensation structure for RN preceptors, ultimately strengthening our program and clinical partnerships, and improving clinical education for our nursing students,” she added.
Faculty development
Funds from the grant also will go toward faculty development, Wade said. The university recently hired five new nursing faculty and a program administrator.
“Investing in faculty development not only enhances the quality of education but also contributes to improved student retention and success,” Wade said. “We aim to enable each faculty member to attend a national nurse educator conference and access online resources for professional development.”
For more information about MSU-WP’s Associate of Science in Nursing degree program, including the LPN-to-RN program, visit WP.MissouriState.edu/Nursing or email WPNursing@MissouriState.edu.
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