Rural PrOMISE is a pilot program that will provide mentoring, support and funding for nursing graduates who commit to serving rural communities after graduation. (Photo courtesy of UNC School of Nursing)
UNC Health’s Robert A. Ingram Institute for Equitable Healthcare Access has been awarded $1.19 million from The Duke Endowment to launch a pilot program named Rural PrOMISE – Providing Opportunities and Mentoring in Scholarship and Education. The program will provide support, mentoring and funding for UNC School of Nursing graduates who commit to serving in rural areas for three years after graduation.
North Carolina has the second largest rural population in the United States and is projected to be among the top states experiencing the worst registered nurse shortages by 2026.
Meg Zomorodi ’01, ’08 (PhD), vice president for the Robert A. Ingram Institute for Equitable Healthcare Access and professor and associate provost for interprofessional health initiatives at Carolina Nursing, emphasized the significance of this funding in addressing rural healthcare challenges.
“I am thrilled that our team has received funding from The Duke Endowment to address the urgent need for nursing support in our rural communities,” Zomorodi said. “This collaboration with UNC Health and the School of Nursing brings together exceptional faculty to co-design content with preceptors that will offer students valuable rotations in both academic and rural community settings. Our program is designed to equip participants with the skills and empathy needed to return to their hometowns and provide compassionate, high-quality care, deeply rooted in an understanding of rural life.”
In addition to supporting new graduates, the program will focus on the development and support of nursing preceptors in rural communities. The Ingram Institute is also partnering with NC AHEC to fund a registered nurse refresher program geared toward existing RNs who have lapsed licenses. Many of these nurses have needed to focus on personal or family needs and want to return to the workforce. However, training costs are a barrier.
Following the pilot program, a model for increasing North Carolina’s rural nursing workforce will be incorporated across UNC Health’s system, which spans from the mountains to the coast. The effort aligns with the institute’s goal to support workforce development initiatives, pathway programs and more across North Carolina.
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