The Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing has received a four-year, $2.99 million federal grant to help address nursing shortages across Georgia, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities. 

The Health Resources and Services Administration grant will support the Emory Transition-to-Practice Program (ETPP), an initiative designed to strengthen Georgia’s nursing workforce through two complementary efforts: preparing Emory undergraduate nursing students for careers in high-need communities and creating pathways for frontline healthcare workers across the state to become registered nurses. 

The project will be led by Desireé Clement, DNP, APRN, CNM, FNP-BC, FACNM, FAANP, FAAN, the school's associate clinical professor and assistant dean for academic operations.

For Emory nursing students, the program will provide community-based and primary care-focused coursework, clinical rotations, simulation, telehealth training, professional development, and hands-on learning experiences beyond the traditional baccalaureate curriculum, helping prepare them for work in high-need communities. 

Students will work with metro Atlanta community health nonprofits Mercy Care, Bethesda Community Clinic, and Boat People SOS to serve people who often face barriers to healthcare, including individuals experiencing homelessness, uninsured adults, refugees, and immigrants. They will also participate in a one-week summer immersion through the Georgia Farmworker Health Program, providing care to migrant farmworkers and their families in southwest Georgia. 

In a parallel initiative, the Emory Transition-to-Practice Program will partner with the Technical College System of Georgia to recruit pre-nursing students across the state with prior experience in healthcare roles (such as licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians, medical assistants, community health workers, and home health aides) to participate in a one-week internship at Emory that introduces them to community-based registered nursing careers and provides experiential and shadowing opportunities. 

All ETPP participants will receive scholarships, stipends, mentoring, and academic support services. The grant will also support training for faculty and clinical preceptors, the experienced healthcare professionals who mentor students during clinical placements, to ensure high-quality learning experiences across participating sites.

This investment is about more than educating nurses. It’s about opening doors, strengthening communities, and improving lives. By supporting students and frontline healthcare professionals, we can build a stronger workforce and help ensure more Georgians have access to the care they need. - Desireé Clement

Working alongside Clement on the grant are Quyen Phan, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, who serves as co-investigator, and Rebekah Chance-Revels, DNP, WHNP-BC, MPH, CPH, CPPS, CPHQ; Wendy Gibbons, DNP, CNM, MN, RNC, FACNM; and Heather Venrick, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, RN.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provided financial support for this project under award number #1TR4PE56262-01‐00. The award covered 100% of total costs, totaling $2,991,849. The contents are those of the author and may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government.