McLaren Health Care, the three-state, fully integrated health care system, has again partnered with Grand Valley State University to provide scholarships to McLaren nurses seeking to advance their careers. For the third time in four years, Grand Valley has been awarded the multimillion-dollar Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support nursing education.
Through this partnership and current $2.6 million grant, 27 McLaren nurses from diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds will receive monetary support to continue their education at Grand Valley and advance their careers with McLaren. Approximately 80 percent of the tuition will be funded for nursing students admitted into the program through a Grand Valley tuition discount, tuition reimbursement from McLaren, and the HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant.
Over the term of their partnership, Grand Valley has received a total of $7.6 million, providing tuition support for approximately 80 McLaren nurses across the state. The initial group of nurse-scholars graduated in 2022 and 2023 and have entered the nursing workforce with their elevated credentials.
“At a time when every nurse counts, I cannot adequately express how proud I am of the leadership associated with this endeavor, one that will provide a deserving group of McLaren nurses with this tremendous opportunity,” said Phil Incarnati, President and CEO of McLaren Health Care. “This has been a truly rewarding program, and we are grateful to Grand Valley for their partnership.”
Advanced nursing degrees range from a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). This 2023 HRSA ANEW grant will provide support for nurses in the Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult/Older Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP education tracks.
“McLaren Health Care and GVSU have developed a robust academic-practice partnership these past four years,” said Lisa Zajac, McLaren Health Care Director of Clinical Informatics. “Not only does HRSA recognize the significance of this collaboration, but we also received the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 2022 Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership award. It is truly an honor to collaborate to support continuing education for nurses, while transforming the workforce in Michigan.”
With baccalaureate, masters, and doctor of nursing practice degree programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Grand Valley’s Kirkhof College of Nursing is consistently recognized for its service, scholarship, and practice. With 65 health-related programs, Grand Valley maintains more than 9,300 future health care professionals enrolled in its programs.
Learn more about all of the services McLaren Health Care provides throughout the state at mclaren.org.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 15 hospitals in Michigan and Ohio, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 588,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 90,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.