Emory University’s school of nursing receives grant to aid underserved communities

Emory University announced on Wednesday that the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing has received a grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that is estimated to be worth roughly $142,000. Emory University’s nursing school will use the grant to participate in its Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship Program, which trains Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to work in underserved rural, urban and tribal communities.

“This program will give students experiential learning opportunities in health equity, culturally competent care and social determinants of health,” Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, primary investigator on the grant and director of the Emory CRNA program, said in a press release. “It will allow for meaningful connections between the communities we serve and the students who will soon be the providers in those communities.”

The program will offer scholarships to Emory CRNA students, allowing them to gain clinical experience in underserved areas across the Southeast. In exchange, Emory University will provide the HRSA with data on the number of participants that took jobs within those areas. A total 60 CRNA students are expected to participate during the four-year program.

The program will also expand available opportunities for CRNAs in other ways, including new graduates looking to assist underserved communities. It will incorporate underrepresented minority students, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and those intending to assume roles in areas facing health professional shortages.

“Nurse anesthetists contributing to these communities play a crucial role, frequently acting as the primary anesthesia provider or one of a limited number, emphasizing the significance of their expertise and the diversity they bring to their representation,” Erica Moore, DNP, CRNA, who serves as assistant director of Emory’s CRNA program, said in a press release. “We are excited to be a part of this grant, which will make a difference among our students and the communities.”