📍Nashua, New Hampshire
Building Nursing Excellence
Challenge:
Many nurses start their careers as licensed practical nurses (LPNs) but then face barriers in the path to obtaining their registered nurse (RN) licenses. These barriers include financial strain, demanding work hours, and lack of job-based support for career growth.
Solution:
Rivier University sought to increase the number of registered nurses in rural and under-resourced areas by developing Seeking Excellence through Nursing Diversity (Project SEND), a comprehensive approach to support LPNs and nursing students. The program includes the following support services:
- LPN Bridge Program: Recruited and oriented LPNs into a bridge program that promoted career progression toward RN licensure through articulation agreements, structured orientation, and pre-immersion academic and role-transition support.
- Student support and retention: Addressed technology and scheduling challenges by providing information technology (IT) support, in-person meetings, and an LPN pre-immersion program.
- Scholarship program: Provided financial aid to LPNs from under-resourced backgrounds who met academic and licensure requirements.
- Community clinical partnerships: Placed students in health centers located in medically under-resourced areas for hands-on training, fostering long-term career placements in community-based healthcare.
- Faculty development: Hosted workshops to enhance understanding of community- and system-related health needs, and teaching practices.
Impact:
✅ Increased enrollment of students in nursing programs, with a majority identifying as first-generation college students.
✅ Strengthened partnerships with health centers, expanding clinical placement opportunities.
✅ Improved student retention through structured support, mentorship, and skill-building initiatives.
✅ Enhanced faculty awareness of critical community and system-related health topics.