NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — LSU Health New Orleans’ School of Nursing has been awarded $2.6 million over the next four years to help increase the number of care providers in rural parts of Louisiana.
The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the funds in an effort to boost the number of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives trained to provide primary care services, mental health and substance use disorder care and maternal health care to underrepresented populations in rural, urban, tribal and underserved areas in the state.
According to LSU Health, 63 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes meet the criteria for designation as primary care health provider shortage areas. Projections indicate a deficit of adult psychiatrists available, with projected availability only meeting about 50% of the demand.
In Louisiana, 24% of women live in a parish considered a low-access area and 9% live in a maternity care desert. An analysis of pregnancy-associated deaths in the state from 2016 to 2017 found a 91% increase in the risk of maternal mortality for women living in a maternity care desert.
LSU Health representatives said the project will establish new partnerships, provide tuition support to a diverse group of students and enhance the curriculum. The funding will also support professional development and education for advanced practice nursing clinical faculty and preceptors.
“We are recruiting primary care nurse practitioners (adult-gerontology primary care, family, pediatric, and psych-mental health) and nurse-midwifery applicants today,” said Sherry Rivera DNP, ANP-C, FNKF, FAANP, Program Coordinator of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration and Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing at LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing.
Potential students can learn more about the program by emailing srive4@lsuhsc.edu.
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