Nurse practitioners continue to play increasing roles in health care, especially in serving rural and under-served areas. The Advanced Nursing Education - Nurse Practitioner Residency program through North Dakota State University provides new graduate nurse practitioners’ (NP) enhanced clinical and academic experience with expansion for a 12-month residency program in rural and/or underserved populations.

As part of the residency program, NDSU School of Nursing hosted a one-day virtual Mental Health Conference in February, focusing on reducing stigma, non-pharmacological interventions, mood disorders, ADHD and many other topics.

More than 140 attendees participated in the free virtual event, which included advance practice providers from Essentia Health, Sanford, other healthcare facilities in the region, along with NDSU Doctor of Nursing Practice students.

The Advanced Nursing Education - Nurse Practitioner Residency program is a collaboration between the NDSU School of Nursing and Essentia Health. Funding for the program is provided through the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

Overall employment of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is projected to grow 45 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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