NDSU’s Department of Nursing, in partnership with statewide organizations, received a four-year $1.9 million research and evaluation grant to help American Indian people become health care professionals and North Dakota’s health care workforce become more culturally diverse.

The department partnered with Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Mount Sinai Medical School, University of North Dakota College of Nursing Recruitment/Retention of American Indians into Nursing, North Dakota Area Health Education Center, North Dakota Center for Nursing and the North Dakota Department of Labor in a project titled “Sustaining Career Pathways for American Indian Health Professionals in ND: Building Apprenticeship and Workforce Options with the Next Steps Health Professions Opportunities Grant Project.” The purpose will be to enhance future employment options and sustainability of employment for Administration for Children and Families Next Steps program participants.

The ultimate outcome of this grant is to build a workforce that is culturally diverse and responsive to the significant health care needs of the American Indian population in North Dakota. Loretta Heuer, professor and principal investigator, indicated this grant will help build a sustainable career path for American Indian people to enter the professional health care workforce in North Dakota.

Molly Secor-Turner, assistant professor and co-investigator, said this is an exciting opportunity for the Department of Nursing. “We are looking forward to working in partnership with our statewide partners and tribal community college partners to better understand how to support a successful and culturally appropriate entry into nursing professions for Native American students,” she said.