Published: June 04, 2007
VA To Establish Nursing Academy
Secretary Nicholson: "Holds Great Promise for the Future"
To address a shortage of nurses across the nation and ensure that veterans continue to receive personalized, world-class care in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, VA has announced creation of a new multi-campus Nursing Academy.
"Our new, pilot VA Nursing Academy holds great promise for the future of our health care professionals and, most importantly, our patients," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. "It will expand our teaching faculty, improve recruitment and retention, and create new educational and research opportunities."
VA has one of the largest nursing staffs of any health care system in the world, with about 61,000 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, vocational nurses and nursing assistants at the Department's 153 medical centers and nearly 900 clinics.
A five-year, $40 million pilot program will establish partnerships with 12 nursing schools across the country during the next three years, beginning with four for the 2007-2008 academic year. The VA nursing academy is a virtual organization with central administration in Washington and teaching at competitively selected nursing schools across the country who partner with VA.
VA currently provides clinical education to nearly 100,000 health professional trainees annually, including students from more than 600 schools of nursing.
Despite a nationwide shortage of nurses, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has reported that more than 42,000 qualified applicants were turned away from nursing schools in 2006 because of insufficient numbers of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space and clinical mentors.
"The new partnerships will reinvigorate VA's nursing academic affiliations and ensure continued quality in clinical education," said Dr. Michael J. Kussman, VA's Acting Under Secretary for Health.
Further information about the pilot program can be obtained from VA's Office of Academic Affiliations Web site at www.va.gov/oaa.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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