Nurse education, practice, quality and retention - workforce expansion program - samuel merritt university's college of nursing (SMU CON) seeks funding from hrsa's nepqr WEP for the "oakland nursing…

The Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Health Professionals awarded Samuel Merritt University $1,968,192 on September 30, 2025, under the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Grants program (CFDA 93.359) to expand nursing education capacity in Oakland, California.

The Oakland Nursing Initiative for Community Health (ONICH) expands the university's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program enrollment by 13 percent, increasing from 64 to 72 students per cohort, or 144 students per academic year. The initiative addresses nursing workforce shortages in Oakland, designated as a medically underserved area, through enhanced recruitment, training, and student support. Deliverables include local outreach and a holistic admission process to boost enrollment and diversity; scholarships for students committed to long-term care; expanded clinical sites and additional clinical faculty; simulation-based and diversity, equity, and inclusion training; a student success and NCLEX test prep program; and hiring of a student success coordinator and diverse faculty to improve retention and licensure exam pass rates.

Performance occurs in Oakland, California through September 29, 2029. The four-year funding supports the Workforce Expansion Program track of NEPQR, designed to expand the nursing workforce through recruitment and training of nursing students to improve care in underserved areas and vulnerable populations.

Nurse education, practice, quality and retention - workforce expansion program - samuel merritt university's college of nursing (SMU CON) seeks funding from hrsa's nepqr WEP for the "oakland nursing initiative for community health" (onich) to address the critical nursing shortage in oakland, designated as a medically underserved area (MUA). Healthcare facilities in oakland, primarily serving economically disadvantaged communities, are severely understaffed, exacerbating health disparities in an already vulnerable population. These shortages arise from a lack of adequately trained nurses in acute and long-term care, particularly in addressing the unique needs of patients in medically underserved areas (muas), such as the prevalence of gun violence in the oakland community. Additionally, low salaries for nurses in these roles, combined with oakland's high cost of living, exacerbate the problem. Onich aims to increase the number of nurses ready to work in acute and long-term care facilities in muas. IT proposes a comprehensive approach to boost nursing student enrollment and retention, while providing enhanced education tailored to the specific health challenges faced by the oakland community. Onich will address these needs by increasing bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) enrollment and diversity through local outreach, nursing success seminars, scholarships for students committed to long-term care, and a holistic admission process. Specifically, we will expand enrollment by 13%, increasing from 64 to 72 students per cohort, or 144 per academic year. The program will enhance training and clinical placement by expanding clinical sites, hiring additional clinical faculty, and developing simulation and DEI training. IT will improve student retention and nclex pass rates by establishing a student success and nclex test prep program, hiring a student success coordinator, and offering professional development funds. Additionally, onich will expand and retain diverse faculty by hiring more clinical faculty and creating professional development and mentoring programs. The target population includes underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students who will be trained to serve the diverse communities of oakland. Onich will provide comprehensive support to address economic, social, and psychological barriers faced by nursing students, including scholarships, mental health resources, and robust academic support. This initiative aims to produce competent nursing graduates prepared to meet the healthcare needs of oakland's most vulnerable populations. We will also provide scholarship funds to those students who commit to working in long-term and acute care facilities in oakland after graduation in a concerted effort to expand the local workforce.