Collaboration with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Provides Complimentary Course for Students

Chamberlain University, which has the largest nursing school in the U.S., is pleased to announce its Practice-Ready, Specialty-Focused™ Nurse Education Model pilot program is the recipient of a $1.2 million grant from the American Nurses Foundation’s Reimagining Nursing Initiative (RN Initiative), which is funding bold ideas developed and led by nurses to transform nursing for improved health access, care and outcomes for all.

Only 10 grants were awarded, and Chamberlain is amongst other premier nursing institutions to receive a grant. As the nation faces a nursing shortage, Chamberlain University’s initiative is focused on decreasing first-year nursing turnover by exposing them to clinical rotations in perioperative nursing practice.

“We are honored our Practice-Ready, Specialty-Focused™ program was recognized by the American Nurses Foundation, and we want to thank them for their support, which will help Chamberlain further pave the way for the future healthcare workforce,” said Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN, president, Chamberlain University. “Nurses are needed now more than ever, and this pilot program not only enhances students’ generalist foundation, it provides them exposure to a specialty area, preparing them for their first area of practice to contribute to a variety of settings, such as perioperative services.”

Chamberlain’s pilot program hopes to demonstrate that nurses will enter into their careers more practice-ready when they (1) have the opportunity to assess the best “fit” for their initial area of practice and (2) receive specialty focused training and clinical experience in that area of practice.

The program is being piloted at five Chamberlain campuses with three clinical partners -- Loyola Medicine, based in the suburbs of Chicago; Ochsner Health, located in the New Orleans area and serving the Gulf South; and Emory Healthcare in the Atlanta metropolitan region -- in collaboration with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), creators of evidence-based guidelines and education resources for perioperative practice.

Interested students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Chamberlain may enroll in at 16-week, online didactic Introduction to Perioperative Nursing (IPN) course being offered at no additional cost. Following successful completion of the IPN course, students will participate in an eight-week perioperative clinical experience.

“With our focus on perioperative practice, we are delighted Chamberlain was awarded this grant for their Practice-Ready, Specialty-Focused™ pilot,” said AORN CEO/Executive Director Linda Groah, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN. “We believe strongly in Chamberlain’s pilot to create a successful pathway for nursing students to experience and then commit to perioperative practice for their professional career. This model is an important solution for the recruitment challenges that are facing all facilities that provide surgical services.”

Chamberlain will replicate the model for home healthcare during the pilot period. The program will be evaluated after the pilot concludes in 2025, and Chamberlain will create a publicly available playbook documenting the model that will be shared with other schools of nursing to enable them to replicate the approach.

“The Reimagining Nursing Initiative provides the solid investments nurses need to transform the education, regulation and practice of nursing,” says American Nurses Foundation Executive Director Kate Judge. “Nurses are a natural catalytic force for accelerating the evolution of our health system because they have an unmatched perspective on prevention, wellness and delivery of healthcare services.”

The Reimagining Nursing Initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund at East Bay Community Foundation, AMN Healthcare, Omnicell, and the Salka Impact Fund.

For more information about the RN Initiative and to explore each pilot program, visit: https://www.nursingworld.org/rninitiative.

About Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University is a part of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE). Chamberlain University’s mission is to educate, empower and embolden diverse healthcare professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities, and nations. Chamberlain is comprised of the College of Nursing, which offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program and flexible post-licensure programs such as the RN to BSN option, Master of Science in Nursing degree program, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program and graduate certificates, and the College of Health Professions, which offers Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work and Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree programs. Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For the most updated accreditation information, visit Chamberlain.edu/accreditation. To learn more, visit Chamberlain.edu.

About Adtalem Global Education

The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) is a leading healthcare educator and provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to their communities. Adtalem is the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University. Adtalem and its institutions have more than 10,000 employees and a network of more than 275,000 alumni. Adtalem was named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek, and one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2022 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter @adtalemglobal, LinkedIn or visit Adtalem.com for more information.

About American Nurses Foundation

American Nurses Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), with the mission to transform the nation’s health through the power of nursing. The Foundation supports research, education, and scholarships, which improve health, wellness, and patient care. For more information visit www.nursingworld.org/foundation.

About Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN)

AORN represents the interests of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based research, nursing education, standards, and practice resources to enable optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. www.aorn.org

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