May 7, 2014
WHO: Seventeen graduates of Passport to Practice Nurse Residency Program, Donald H. DeHayes, University of Rhode Island provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; Lynne Dunphy URI professor of nursing and associate dean of external affairs at the URI College of Nursing; Sandra S. Phillips, director of education at Kent Hospital and project director of the Passport to Practice Nurse Residency program; Randi Belhumeur, program coordinator, and other state and academic, officials as well as leaders of the state’s health care industry.
WHAT: As this first round of the residency program reaches completion, it has done exactly what it was designed to do—give residents experience in the continuum of care through clinical experiences, both in the acute care setting as well as the community setting, so they are ready to enter the full-time job market. Participants said their various rotations, with the help of their preceptors, have boosted their confidence, given them new skills and helped them become comfortable with new techniques and technology. The residency program was launched in October of 2013 as a workforce and skills development initiative. Graduates of Rhode Island’s five nursing programs were eligible to enter the program.
WHEN: Today, May 7, 2014, noon.
WHERE: The Rhode Island Statehouse, Stateroom
TO MAKE COVERAGE ARRANGEMENTS: Contact Dave Lavallee, URI Department of Marketing and Communications, 401-874-5862 or 401-465-4291.
BACKGROUND: Rhode Island joined Connecticut in 2012 as one of only two New England states and 20 nationally to receive funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s “The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action,” a $3 million joint initiative with the AARP.
The $600,000 initiative was funded by the following agencies and groups listed here in alphabetical order: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Care New England, Community College of Rhode Island, Governor’s Workforce Board Rhode Island Innovative Partnerships Grant, Lifespan, Rhode Island Center for Nursing Excellence, Rhode Island College, Rhode Island Foundation, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation State Implementation Program Grant, Routhier Foundation, Salve Regina University and University of Rhode Island.