ACC’s NURSE (Nursing’s Under-Represented Students in Education) Success project recently was featured at the first of a series of presentations taking place across the country to encourage bipartisan solutions to the nation’s healthcare challenges.

The program was part of the “Healthy Ideas Showcase: Changing the Way Health Care is Delivered” exchange on October 7 in Austin. The Bipartisian Policy Center, the Seton Healthcare Family, and the Texas e-Health Alliance co-sponsored the daylong event, which included presentations by organizations and universities selected for their innovative approaches to healthcare delivery and health information technology.

“We were privileged to be able to share information about our program and our plans to ensure we attract a diverse population of students,” says Nancy Walters, chair of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Department.

Financed through a grant by Health Resources and Services Administration, ACC’s NURSE Success project focuses on attracting minority and economically disadvantaged students to the ADN Program and supporting them through retention efforts. In ACC’s eight-county service area, minorities compose more than 40 percent of the population, yet represent only 16 percent of the nursing workforce.

“By looking for ways to better serve underrepresented areas and minority populations, we can provide more equitable healthcare delivery in the area,” Walters says.

The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank, plans to host similar exchanges in other states around the country this fall. The project is supported by funds from the Division of Nursing, the Bureau of Health Professions, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services, but does not represent an official position of the federal government or the sponsoring agencies.

For more information about ACC’s ADN Programs, click here.