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BETHLEHEM (JAN 19) -
Although
Pennsylvania faces a growing nursing
shortage at its hospitals,
incentives are available to entice
nurses to become educators and
attract students to pursue a degree
in nursing, according to state Sen.
Lisa M. Boscola.
“Nurses provide an unparalleled
service to our hospitals,” Boscola
said. “They work with doctors as
well as patients and their loved
ones to ensure that patients receive
the best treatment and recover
quickly. It is an honorable
profession that can lead to an
additionally rewarding career of
teaching.
“If you care about others and are
interested in the medical
profession, there is financial
assistance that will help you get
your career in nursing started and
take it to the next level as nursing
educator,” she added.
Currently, Pennsylvania
healthcare providers are
experiencing a 9 percent vacancy
rate, which is projected to rise to
30 percent, or 40,000 nurses by the
year 2020, according to the Health
Resources and Services
Administration.
“Pennsylvania hospitals cannot stand
to take this kind of shortage,”
Boscola said. “With less help on
staff, the nurses will be forced to
work longer shifts and divide their
attention among more patients,
causing added stress to an already
demanding job. Ultimately, everyone
— especially the patient – will
suffer.”
To
address the growing number of
retiring nurses and the lack of
qualified faculty at nursing
schools, the Pennsylvania Higher
Education Foundation created six
nursing education capacity
initiatives.
These
programs encourage nurses to go back
to school and earn their graduate
degree and teach the next generation
of Pennsylvania nurses:
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The Nurse Educator
Loan Forgiveness Program
forgives up to $50,000 of qualified
loan debt, provided that the
applicant agrees to work three to
five years as a new nurse educator
at an approved post-secondary
nursing school.
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The Graduate Nurse
Education Grant Program
awards scholarship funds to graduate
nursing schools within Pennsylvania
to increase enrollment and improve
retention for students pursuing a
graduate degree in nursing in order
to teach.
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The Nurse Faculty
Lines Program
provides funds annually to
nonprofit, tax-exempt Pennsylvania
schools of nursing to underwrite
nursing faculty positions.
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Supplemental Funding
for Practical Nursing Programs
allows Pennsylvania schools with
Practical Nursing Majors to submit a
proposal for additional scholarship
funding for their Practical Nursing
students.
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The Interim Student
Loan Guarantee Program
provides alternative
loans to fund the unmet needs at
Pennsylvania nursing schools prior
to receiving Federal Family
Education Loan Program (FFELP)
eligibility.
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The Dr. McKenzie
Scholarship for Disadvantaged
Students Program
is named in honor of
the late Dr. Edna McKenzie, a
distinguished educator and long-time
member of the PHEAA Board and the
Foundation Board. This program is
still in development. In
addition, the Foundation offers six
nursing education initiatives to
improve nursing schools and provide
more incentives for nursing
students. These programs have helped
to award $27 million in
scholarships:
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The Nursing Education
Grant Program
provides funds to
Pennsylvania nursing schools to help
them increase enrollment and improve
student retention and licensure pass
rates.
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Nurse Scholars
Program provides scholarships to nurses who
are pursuing a graduate nursing
degree in order to teach.
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Nursing Loan
Forgiveness for Healthier Futures
provides
eligible students through three
years of qualified employment,
student loan forgiveness up to
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25
percent or $12,500. This program is
self-funded by PHEAA and jointly
administered with the Pennsylvania
Higher Education Foundation with no
taxpayer support.
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Big 33 Nursing
Scholarship Award Program
was established
to help reverse the nursing shortage
in Pennsylvania while helping
students pay for their nursing
education and awards scholarships to
high school students.
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Penn Hosa Scholarship
Program is
for students who are pursuing an
education in nursing, and awards
scholarships to qualifying high
school and vocational technical
students.
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Public Awareness
Campaign is designed to reach
a variety of age groups, from
students as young as grade school to
grown adults who may be looking for
an exciting new career.
To learn more about the nursing
profession and how to pay for an
education, visit
www.futuresinnursing.org or
www.pheaa.org, call 800-377-4502
or e-mail
futuresinnursing@pheaa.org
More information is also available
by calling Sen. Boscola’s district
offices in Bethlehem 610-868-8667,
Whitehall 610-266-2117 or
Stroudsburg 570-420-2938 or online
at
www.senatorboscola.com
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