Lipscomb University receives grant for rural nursing initiative

Lipscomb University has received a $220,000 Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Rural Healthcare Initiatives Program grant. The grant will be utilized to roll out a pilot program at the university called the Tennessee Rural Workforce Initiative for Nursing (TN R-WIN). The program will provide support for students from underserved and underrepresented communities as they work toward completing Lipscomb University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

According to an article on Lipscomb University’s website, Chelsia Harris, who serves as the executive director of Lipscomb’s School of Nursing, was quoted as saying of the grant project and its expected effects, “This initiative is a game-changer for healthcare workforce development in Tennessee’s rural communities. By recruiting students from rural areas and providing them with a direct pathway to nursing careers in their communities, we aim to create a sustainable pipeline of healthcare professionals dedicated to serving where they are needed most.”

Echoing these sentiments, Lynette Austin, the dean of the College of Health Sciences, added, “This grant allows us to remove financial barriers and provide meaningful workforce solutions for rural healthcare. By embedding students in rural clinical settings early in their training, we are not only equipping them with valuable hands-on experience but also fostering long-term retention of nurses in these underserved communities.”

In an effort to give students from different backgrounds the opportunity to pursue healthcare careers, the TN R-WIN program will recruit six students who reside in rural areas of northern Middle Tennessee to enroll in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and then will provide these students with extensive financial support to help guide them toward success in the program. The Accelerated BSN program lasts for four semesters, and via the TN R-WIN program, these six students will receive financial support for the first two of those semesters, with their full tuition, all fees, materials, books, travel expenses, and any necessary accommodations being completely covered.

The TN R-WIN program will put students in clinical rotations in a rural area: TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center in Robertson County, getting them started on their rural healthcare education, which is beneficial for the medical center, as it is in an area that is experiencing significant shortages of nursing professionals.

As the TN R-WIN program is a collaborative effort between Lipscomb University, TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center, and the Northern Middle Tennessee Workforce Board, the Northern Middle Tennessee Workforce Board will help to recruit rural students who might be interested in pursuing the program. Those who complete the program will benefit from priority in interviews and in receiving job placements at NorthCrest Medical Center.

Marla Rye, who serves as the executive director of the Northern Middle Tennessee Workforce Board, said of the program, “I applaud Lipscomb’s efforts to bring awareness and provide solutions to the challenges associated with rural healthcare. Through a partnership with NorthCrest Medical Center, Lipscomb will provide fast-track training to degree-holding individuals and jumpstart their healthcare careers. This innovative solution will assist in meeting the shortage of healthcare workers in our rural communities.”

This pilot of the program will launch with the Fall 2025 semester. It is already planned that if successful, the program will expand to include new partner facilities to embed qualified nurses in rural areas around the state. Students from rural areas across the state are welcome to apply for the pilot.

For more information about Lipscomb University, visit the school’s website.