Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention - Transition to Practice Program - PROJECT ABSTRACT Project Title: University of Montana Missoula College AHP-to-RN Bridge Program (MC-AHBTP) University of Montana-Missoula College 1205 E. Broadway, Missoula MT 59802 https://www.umt.edu/missoula-college-nursing/ PD/PI: Linda Barnes Project Overview: The MC-AHBTP will: 1) Expand the nursing workforce by recruiting paramedics, EMTs, and medical assistants to upskill to become RNs; 2) Develop an online, competency-based AHP-to-RN Bridge curriculum; 3) Increase clinical training opportunities in rural, medically vulnerable, and community-based care settings; and 4) Advance training in nutrition, obesity, chronic disease management, disease prevention, maternal health, and mental health based on Montana’s population health care needs. Needs Addressed: Montana has a significant shortage of healthcare providers, including RNs, particularly in rural and medically vulnerable areas in Montana. In Montana, 51 out of 56 counties are designated primary care healthcare professional shortage areas (HPSA), while 55 of 56 counties are designated mental health HPSAs. Currently, the Montana Department of Labor projects that there will be 690 open RN positions annually until 2034. However, there is only one online RN program in the state, which is only available for licensed practical nurses. This severely limits RN training opportunities for people in rural Montana. These workforce factors contribute to several poor health outcomes for Montanans, particularly in rural and medically vulnerable areas. Montana consistently has some of the highest rates in the nation for suicide, behavioral health, and substance use disorders. Also, the limited access to community-based care contributes to 11.7% of Montanans having three or more chronic diseases, and over 30% of the adult population being obese. After extensive nursing workforce evaluations and assessments conducted by UM and its partners, this training program will implement a comprehensive online AHP-to-RN Bridge program. This UM research as well as planning input from health care, public health and community-based care organizations throughout the state, has shown that Montana’s nursing workforce and community-based care needs can be addressed by focusing on recruiting and training practicing paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and medical assistants (MAs); upskilling these allied health professionals (AHPs) to become registered nurses (RNs), and providing longitudinal community-based care experiential learning experiences. Proposed Services/Training: This project will utilize UM-Missoula College’s eLearning team to develop and deploy the competency-based AHP-to-RN online curriculum that has a focus on MAHA-aligned nutrition, obesity, chronic disease management, disease prevention, maternal health, and mental health components. Utilizing its robust, web-based eLearning training model, UM-MC will focus on the following: 1) Practicing paramedics, EMTs, and medical assistants in Montana’s rural, tribal, and/or medically vulnerable communities; 2) Identifying clinical training sites within the students’ communities to complete community-based care clinical training experiences; 3) Providing high-quality simulation training experiences; and 4) Recruiting didactic and clinical faculty from rural and medically vulnerable Montana communities to provide instruction to participants with an enhanced focus on community-based settings. Population Served: This project will serve Montanans, particularly rural, tribal, and medically vulnerable populations in Montana.
