A new grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will cover scholarships for nurses looking to advance their careers and provide primary health care to patients in rural and underserved regions of Arizona.

Edson College received $2.4 million through the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program. The funding is for 4 years and will cover the cost of tuition, books and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program fees for up to 22 nurses per year.

“This funding will help meet the critical shortage of primary care health providers in areas of the state that desperately need them,” said Edson College DNP Program Director Diane Nunez.

A primary aim of this grant is to increase the recruitment of a diverse group of future health care professionals. Eligible students for the first round of scholarships have already been contacted and are working their way through the process. 

In the future, Danielle Sebbens, associate director of the DNP program, says they will work with their partner organizations to recruit interested nurses from their facilities for this opportunity.

“The ideal candidate is a nurse working with one of our identified partners interested in becoming a nurse practitioner. This grant allows us to support their education and meet the primary care needs of our state,” Sebbens said.

A condition of the scholarship is that students commit to stay in Arizona and work in underserved areas of the state. This ensures these communities will have access to quality health care close to home for years to come.