Paper
Monday, November 5, 2007
521
A Career Ladder Outreach Program: Sustained with Collaborative Partnerships
Diane M. Breckenridge, RN, MSN, PhD, School of Nursing and Health Sciences and Nursing Department, La Salle University and Abington Memorial Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| Learning Objective #1: identify components of the Risk Assessment Profile and Strategies (RAPS) Instrument for adaptation and implementation for promoting nursing career ladder outreach programs. |
| Learning Objective #2: identify transdisciplinary collaborative partnerships by forming an advisory panel of community leaders to promote nursing career ladder outreach program sustainability. |
The Risk Assessment Profile and Strategies (RAPS) Instrument was developed from the seven risk factors and strategies used to overcome risk factors that had been identified prospectively in students applying for professional nursing education. Identifying these risk factors during the student’s application process to gain access to nursing school necessitated the employment of strategies to increase their success. By forming a Diversity Advisory Panel consisting of transdisciplinary collaborative partnerships; the identification of a large pool of students who had expressed an interest in a health care field, predominately nursing, was facilitated. The pool of students, approximately 3410, is from 19 inter-city Health Care Academies representing students from 10th to 12 grade. This collaborative partnership outreach program, uses the RAPS Instrument, as early at 10th grade, to increase the student’s ability to take the necessary courses to pursue nursing in a career ladder approach. By 11th grade, the students are sitting for the SAT standardized test. Outcomes this past year showed that an average of 59 points raised the students’ SAT scores from a 799 to approximately a 858 verbal and math combined score in this inter-city school district population by implementing SAT prep courses. These students will then retake the SATs this coming senior year. Another strategy implemented are on-line supplemental courses of ABCs; which are courses for those that need more reinforcement and readiness for the college science work. By identifying the components of the RAPS Instrument for guidance counselors of the Health Care Academies, students can be advised to take remediation courses prior to applying for nursing education. Planned visits with the guidance counselors and career counselors to ready them with the RAPS Instrument, have had the support of the community leaders to gain access to high school students, CNAs and LPNs.