GOT LOANS??? $4 million available for loan repayment

The California State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) has approximately $4 million to award in 2011 for loan repayment of outstanding government and commercial loans for expenses incurred during undergraduate or graduate education! Up to $100,000 in funding available for primary healthcare providers who commit to a three-year service obligation at a public or private non-profit medical facility that is located in a Health Professional Shortage Area. Each facility is required to pay a matching grant, meaning that up to $50,000 is paid by the State, and up to $50,000 is paid by the facility.

In order to participate, you must be providing full-time direct patient care in a medical facility. Full-time, except for Ob/Gyn, is defined as 40 hours per week. Qualifying licensed, non-residency, primary care health professionals in following disciplines only may apply:
· Allopathic or Osteopathic Physicians specializing in Family Medicine, General Pediatrics, General Internal Medicine, General Psychiatry, Gerontology, or Obstetrics and Gynecology
· Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
· Primary Care Physician Assistants
· Certified Nurse Mid-Wives
· Dentists
· Dental Hygienists
· Licensed Mental or Behavioral Health Professionals: Clinical or Counseling Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, or Psychiatric Nurse Specialists
A facility must meet the following criteria in order to qualify for the SLRP:

• Be either publicly-funded or a private non-profit
• Be located in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area
• Facility Health Professional Shortage Area
• Be willing to match the state award
• Commit to a minimum of two years of employment for each provider
• Pay prevailing wages
• Direct patient care performed in an outpatient setting
• Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of California
• Be listed on or apply to be listed on the California SLRP Certified Eligible Site list

In order to get your facility on the Certified Eligible Site list, your facility will need to submit a Certified Eligible Site application every four years in order to participate in the SLRP. Each clinic must submit a separate application if they would like to employ SLRP providers, even if the clinic is part of a larger parent organization with an automatic designation. A list of the current eligible sites may also be found on the SLRP website and is sorted in three categories: primary care, mental and dental.

If your site is not on this list, it may still qualify if it is located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Please use the following steps to determine if your facility is located in a HPSA:
1) Find the census tract number. Visit http://www.ffiec.gov/Geocode/default.aspx and type in the street address and state and hit search. Write down the number in the "Tract Code" box; this is your census tract (CT) number.
2) Visit http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/ to see if your census tract is listed on the HPSA Web site. Using the "Advanced Search..." in the right hand corner, select appropriate information for your State, County, and Discipline. Under Status, choose "Designated." When all information is entered, hit "Show me the HPSAs" and search for your CT or MSSA.


3) If you do not see if your site’s census tract number listed, also check to see if the site itself is listed as a HPSA.
The application cycle opened on January 7, 2011 and will be open continuously until funds are expended. Contracts will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note that you can only commit to one service obligation at a time and must complete any existing service obligations prior to accepting a new contract for this program. You may find additional program information at: http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HWDD/SLRP.html . Please review the website and online application.

Graduate Admissions Decisions Update

After receiving a record number of applications this semester across all graduate programs, the review committees are busy reading and discussing the applications. The schedule for decisions is as follows:

All MSN decisions will be made by December 1.
Traditional DNP decisions will be made by December 8.
Executive DNP decisions will be made on December 20.

We know how hard the waiting is! Hang in there!

EL-DNP program starts February 2011!

Looking to enhance your leadership skills without pausing your career? Want to learn alongside other nurse executives in a challenging and innovative environment? If this sounds like you, we invite you to apply to the inaugural cohort of the Executive Leadership Doctor of Nursing Practice (EL-DNP).

This dynamic six-semester doctoral program enhances the skill, knowledge, and performance of current healthcare systems leaders. The EL-DNP is an advanced-level practice degree that emphasizes application of research to clinical nursing practice at the highest administrative levels.

Our program provides hassle-free accommodations during teaching intensives. We know that our executive students lead very busy lives. So we’ve included a hotel guest room, most meals, books, and transportation from the hotel to the USF campus into the program cost. Be a part of a groundbreaking program, and apply today!

Nursing in the Jesuit Tradition

University of San Francisco (USF) freshman Tom* used to cross the street to avoid homeless people. That was before he started the school’s nursing program, which made him realize he never considered what circumstances brought them to be homeless in the first place, such as substance abuse or a mental illness.

Another freshman nursing student, Michelle, says that her nursing class opened her eyes to the plight of women in Africa and India, many of whom have little to no access to health care. Before she started the program, Michelle says, she wasn’t even aware of the issue, and now she is considering volunteering in Africa or India as part of her class work.

Both Tom and Michelle are part of an innovative new program at USF’s School of Nursing called Nursing in the Jesuit Tradition.

Read the full article...

Chronic Depression Skills Workshop

Are you or your staff frustrated working with depressed clients? Chronic Depression is a difficult, and often frustrating, treatment-resistant disorder that challenges the skills of many nurses and mental health providers.


Join us for a one day Chronic Depression Skills Workshop.
Registration Form

The workshop will introduce an evidence-based approach to the management of individuals with chronic depression and will focus on strategies to identify clients and apply innovative, evidence-based tools, in order to more effectively manage these challenging clients.

Learn real skills for real problems and earn CEU credits while learning to apply practical strategies to manage chronically depressed clients!

When: Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 (8:15 AM-5:00 PM)

Where: Cowell Hall rooms 211, 212, University of San Francisco, School of Nursing, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Cost: $40 (advance, lunch included), $45 (day of event, if space available)

CEUs: 8 contact hours will be awarded to nurses (CA-BRN). Course meets the qualifications for 7 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Science. A brief 2 week follow-up survey must be completed to receive the CEUs (an active and current email and professional license # is also required with registration to obtain CE certificate).

The Answer is the School of Nursing, #6

Which group of students were diverted from their original program providing prenatal care to a disaster relief effort in Guatemala?

Could it be USF nursing students?? You bet!! Join us in congratulating our students who are being honored for their disaster relief efforts this past summer:

San Francisco County Heroes Breakfast
Join the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and San Francisco County civic leaders in recognizing those in the community who have shown courage, dedication and character through acts of kindness and heroism. The San Francisco County Heroes Breakfast will be held on September. 23, 2010.

2010 community heroes:

Lifesaving Heroes
Paramedic Captains Bob Kuzman and Andy Zanoff, San Francisco Fire Department

Act of Courage Heroes, Individuals
Deputy Zaldy Ralleta, Deputy Robert Rood and Deputy Christopher Sheriff, San Francisco Sheriff's Department

Act of Courage Hero, Organization
USF School of Nursing Prenatal Care Program

Act of Kindness and Philanthropy Hero
Little Wishes

Public Safety Hero
Senior Deputy Fabian Brown, San Francisco Sheriff Department

Community Service Hero, Organization
Veterinary Street Outreach Services - Ilana Strubel, DVM

Animal Rescue Hero
Gabriel Johnson and Jennifer Tacy

Nursing Students Provide Disaster Assistance

A University of San Francisco School of Nursing immersion trip to San Lucas Mission in Guatemala to provide prenatal care quickly became a disaster relief effort after Tropical Storm Agatha came ashore May 29, turning roads into rivers, causing landslides, and killing dozens.

Read the full article here...