The health care workforce urgently needs more nurses. One of the biggest barriers to preparing additional nursing leaders and clinicians — for colleges of nursing nationwide — is the availability of clinical placements where students obtain hands-on experience required for licensure. Rush University College of Nursing is addressing this need through innovative partnerships with community organizations. Now, a $1 million gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation will expand clinical training opportunities for students and ensure that marginalized populations across Chicago receive care through the Joanne and William Conway Faculty Practice Fund.
Christine Kennedy, PhD, RN, FAAN, John L. and Helen Kellogg Dean of Rush College of Nursing and interim provost of Rush University, highlights the value of expanding clinical training opportunities within the community.
“Our innovative educational philosophy — developed by our founding dean and visionary, Luther Chrisman — is the practitioner-teacher model, where the roles of educator and practitioner coalesce to give students and patients the best experience,” says Kennedy. “At our faculty practice sites, students are developing the skills they need to advance health equity and improve patient care.”
A shared commitment to expanding the nursing workforce
The academic-practice partnerships that support this expansion of clinical placements operate through the College’s Department of Academic Practice Nursing. Established over 50 years ago, Rush’s Faculty Practice program developed an innovative approach to addressing health care needs in historically underserved communities on the South and West Sides of Chicago. Faculty nurses provide on-site care to thousands of individuals and families, significantly improving their health outcomes. In the process, Rush nursing students gain valuable experience with care delivery in a community-based setting.
“Our nation needs more nurses who can serve those communities with the least access and greatest need for health care, but educating those nurses requires access to high quality clinical placements,” said William “Bill” Conway Jr. “Rush has been a long-time leader in community-based nursing, and we are proud to partner with them to expand opportunities for these placements.”
Started by Bill, The Carlyle Group co-founder and co-chairman, and his late wife, Joanne, the Bedford Falls Foundation has a long track record of commitment to expanding the nursing workforce. The Conways, through their foundation and other philanthropic vehicles, have given millions to nursing colleges to help them address the nation’s critical shortage of well-prepared nurses, primarily through nursing student scholarships. Support from the Conways has helped produce thousands of nurses at 22 schools throughout the eastern United States. Their gift to Rush and a recent gift to UIC Nursing are the foundation’s first in Chicago, where the Conways’ son, Bill Conway III, lives with his wife, Brittany Anselmo Conway, and three daughters and serves the city as an alderman.
“Rush’s nurse-led practice sites are critical to meeting the health care needs of Chicagoan. As a long-time resident of Chicago, I am pleased to be part of this important investment in the health of our city,” said Brittany.
“This new partnership demonstrates an expansion of the deep commitment to nursing education by investing in a nursing-led clinical care model for health care in Chicago,” says Kennedy. “I have seen the generosity of the Conway family and the impact it has on nursing education. We are proud to join their efforts to make Chicago healthier and stronger together.”
Increasing capacity for training and care
Funding for the Joanne and William Conway Faculty Practice Fund will support three critical areas:
- Practice Site Expansion and Enhancement
Through this new funding, the number of students and clinical training hours at faculty practice sites are expected to increase. As a result, faculty and students will provide additional pediatric and mental health care to significantly more patients, mostly children and adolescents. These enhancements will also support care for children and families who live in subsidized housing and expand outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago’s downtown neighborhoods. - Knowledge Sharing to Other Colleges of Nursing
Rush’s faculty practice is one of the nation’s most robust programs. Leaders from the Department of Academic Practice Nursing have been instrumental in helping other colleges of nursing grow and improve their programs. This new funding will enable DAPN leadership to share their knowledge at local and national conferences and bring leaders from other colleges to gain training at Rush, leading to more nursing students around the country receiving hands-on clinical training opportunities through innovative nursing faculty practice care delivery models. - Faculty and Data Analysis Support
To train more students effectively and demonstrate impact, new faculty support and data collection and analysis are essential. A new Practice Expansion Manager will lead operations across the department, facilitate establishing new community practices, and collaborate to share knowledge with other academic institutions.
“This exciting investment highlights the impact of our commitment to our community,” says Angela Moss, PhD, APRN, FAAN, FAANP, associate dean for faculty practice. “Together, we’re ensuring that people throughout our community have care today and that our students are able to learn in real-world, nurse-led settings.”
About the RUSH Campaign: Partnering for Solutions
This gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation is a clear example of how philanthropic partners are helping Rush solve challenges facing our students, patients, communities and the field of health care. Rush University System for Health has publicly shared its bold plan — Without Boundaries: The RUSH Campaign — to eliminate the barriers in health care preventing many from living their best, healthiest lives possible. With the support of donors and funders like the Bedford Falls Foundation, Rush aims to raise at least $750 million to advance all aspects of our mission. Rush plans to especially concentrate investment in six strategic priorities: education and workforce development (including College of Nursing priorities), bone and joint, cancer, health equity, innovation and neuroscience.
About Rush University College of Nursing
Rush University College of Nursing is consistently ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. All five ranked Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) tracks are currently among the Top 3 nationwide. Rush also ranks No. 1 among nursing programs in Illinois. The Generalist Entry Master’s (GEM) program, designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field looking to enter the nursing profession, is among the Top 10 programs in the nation. Both DNP and GEM students have clinical placements at Department of Academic Practice Nursing sites. In 2023 alone, the department supported nearly 200 GEM students in clinical rotations, 16 GEM capstone projects, 76 DNP clinical placements, 15 doctoral projects and 26 federal work-study learning opportunities.
