Kent State, University Hospitals get nearly $4 million to develop degree path for nurses

Derek Kreider, Ravenna Record-Courier
Updated ·2 min read

Thanks to nearly $4 million in grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, Kent State University will admit 36 licensed practical nurses from University Hospitals into a program called the LPN Education Advancement Program, or LEAP, beginning this month. Grant funds will support LEAP for four years.LEAP is meant to provide a pathway for LPNs to acquire bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degrees, and build a BSN-prepared nursing workforce in Northeast Ohio by providing LPNs at UH an opportunity to grow their skills by removing barriers preventing them from continuing their education.

Admission is not solely based on GPA. It also takes into account individual attributes, including life experience. Applicants will be required to submit a short essay about how they have overcome a challenge in nursing.

Upon acceptance into LEAP, University Hospitals will cover tuition waivers for each of the students while grant funds will provide stipends toward living expenses, and pay students to have one day off each week for the first two years, and two days off during the last two years of the program.

Grant funds will also be used to hire an academic advisor who will solely support these students and help them navigate any academic challenges that may arise.

Students will focus on completing prerequisites and general education requirements during their first two years in the program, which may be taken at any institution. In the final two years, students will come together at UH for the remainder of their lectures, utilizing the simulation and skills lab in KSU's Henderson Hall. All clinical rotations will take place at UH facilities.

Completion of the LEAP program will aid students in improving their socioeconomic status as they will have more opportunities to advance in their career to work with higher acuity patients or be considered for entry-level leadership positions as a BSN-prepared nurse.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State, University Hospitals receive grant for nurse education