FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2008

MUW part of nursing consortium

By Jill D. O’Bryant

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Mississippi University for Women’s nursing program
and those of four other universities in Mississippi are forming a
consortium to offer programs in geriatric nurse practitioner (GNP) and
mental health nurse practitioner (MHNP).

“Mississippi has a great need for providers in both geriatrics and
mental health in the more rural areas of the state,” said Dr. Patsy
Smyth, chair of the Department of Graduate Nursing. “This grant will
help fill that void.

“With the graying of America and increasing numbers of individuals
needing counseling or follow up for mental health reasons, this grant
will be a godsend. The five universities will be at the forefront of
fulfilling a health need that has a dearth of providers in the rural
areas of our state.”

Other schools participating in the consortium are Alcorn State
University, Delta State University, University of Mississippi Medical
Center and University of Southern Mississippi.

The grant, which is made possible by the Health Resources Service
Administration, is for $1.2 million for three years with the first year
being funded at $450,000 since the start up costs are more for the first
year. Much of the money will go toward updating the infrastructure at
the schools such as Internet and communication hardware and software.

“I was ecstatic that the grant was funded, said Smyth who was the
representative from MUW who worked on the grant for over a year and
attended a workshop presented by HRSA officials to assist in the
preparation of the grant. “This grant will help put Mississippi on
track for taking better care of their own by educating a diversity of
nurse practitioners.”

Smyth also thinks many family nurse practitioners may want to return to
school to get an additional certification to expand their expertise. The
grant also provides for more options for those who want to go back to
school to become an advanced practice nurse.

While attending the 2007 Mississippi Nurses Association, Dr. Smyth
conducted a small research survey. The survey consisted of registered
nurses and student nurses to gage the possible pool of potential
students who would be interested in becoming either a GNP or MHNP. This
data was included in the rationale for the grant.

Students who attend MUW for these two programs will be taking some
courses on campus, and they will receive clinical practice courses
online or by synchronous and asynchronous modalities.

As with the Family Nurse Practitioner Program currently in existence,
the actual clinical practice will be near the students’ homes. The
degree will be awarded at MUW.

For more information about these nursing programs, please contact Dr.
Smyth at psmyth@nsgslp.muw.edu or 662-329-7323.