Project Grant GE146245

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - NON-CONSTRUCTION - THERE ARE FEW CERTIFIED PALLIATIVE CARE PROVIDERS IN MAINE-50 PHYSICIANS, 15 NURSE PRACTITIONERS, AND 55 NURSES. THESE NUMBERS INDICATE THERE ARE 4.9 CERTIFIED PALLIATIVE CARE PROVIDERS PER EVERY 100,000 MAINE RESIDENTS. GIVEN THE PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND THE PROPORTION OF MAINERS AGED 65 AND OLDER-THIS IS AN INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF PROVIDERS. (9) TO ENSURE CHRONICALLY ILL MAINERS GET NEEDED, HIGH-QUALITY CARE, MORE PROVIDERS ARE NEEDED. A ONE-YEAR NURSE PRACTITIONER FELLOWSHIP WAS DESIGNED TO NURTURE AND EDUCATE CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS. THIS PROGRAM: - SUPPORTS FURTHER DEVELOPING MAINE-BASED EXPERTISE IN THIS FIELD THROUGH ROBUST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. - EMBRACES PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL EXPERTS TO ENSURE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM WORK. - SUPPORTS GROWING A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MODEL OF CARE, BY INTEGRATING MORE NURSE PRACTITIONERS INTO MAINE'S PALLIATIVE MEDICINE FIELD. - WILL CREATE ONE NEW JOB, WHICH CAN SERVE AN ESTIMATED 340 PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ANNUALLY. OVER TWELVE MONTHS, THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WILL OFFER CLINICAL, EDUCATION, AND SCHOLARLY EXPERIENCES AMIDST BOTH URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES. THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH PROVIDES PROFESSIONALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND DEMONSTRATE EVIDENCE-BASED COMPETENCIES REQUIRED IN THE PALLIATIVE MEDICINE FIELD. FURTHERMORE, PALLIATIVE MEDICINE IS A UNIQUE FIELD WHERE COMPASSION AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CLINICIAN'S SUCCESS AND THE QUALITY OF CARE PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES RECEIVED.