Health Education
in Merrimack Valley
Mayor’s Health Task Force, April 25, 2008
“The Tapestry of Public Health in Lawrence”
Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, APRN, BC, FAANP
Professor and Chair,
Department of Nursing
School of Health and Environment
University of Massachusetts Lowell
UMLowell Health Degree Programs
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Bachelor of Science in
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Clinical Laboratory Science
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Health Education
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Community Health
Environmental Health
Nursing
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Medical Technology
Clinical Sciences
Nutritional Science
Pre-licensure
RN-BS degree completion
Exercise Physiology
UMLowell Health Degree Programs
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Master’s of Science in
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Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Health Management and Policy
Health Informatics
Nursing
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Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health
Family Health Nursing
Gerontological Nursing
Work Environment
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Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention
Epidemiology
Ergonomics/Safety
Occupational Hygiene
Work Environment Policy
UMLowell Health Degree Programs
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Doctorates
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Nursing – PhD
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Nursing - DNP
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Approval for Fall 2009
Work Environment - ScD
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Focus on Health Promotion
Cleaner Production/Pollution Prevention
Epidemiology
Ergonomics/Safety
Occupational Hygiene
Work Environment Policy
Physical Therapy - DPT
Bring Diversity to Nursing
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Massachusetts Department of Public Health Funded
project, “Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities:
Workforce Development,” 2007-2010
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Karen Devereaux Melillo, PhD, APRN, BC - Principal Investigator
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Dr. Jacqueline Dowling - Co-Principal Investigator
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Drs. Lisa Abdallah, Mary Findeisen, Margaret Knight - Co-Investigators
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Ramona Nunez, RN, BS, Minority Nurse Recruiter
Renee Michaud, Graduate Research Assistant
Lori Piacenza, Project Administrator
Kayla Isabelle, UML Art Design Student
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Health Disparities and Health Professions
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Of all Massachusetts students graduating
from nursing programs (diploma, AD, BS),
only 3.8% were of Hispanic background and
6.3% were from an Asian background
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Of these individuals, only 0.8% of Hispanic
and 5% of Asians obtained a baccalaureate
degree
(MACN, 2004)
UMass Lowell Nursing
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UML is culturally, socially, and academically
diverse, with 21% of students coming from
ethnic/racial minority groups
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Nursing graduates from 2004-2006 (n=134) were
surveyed
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Only 2% of individuals reported a Hispanic background
Only 2% reported an Asian background
When compared to the large Hispanic and Asian
populations in the Lowell and Lawrence area, these
numbers are clearly inadequate to meet existing
workforce needs
UMass Lowell Nursing
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The number of ethnically diverse nursing students
must increase if the health care needs of the
population are to be addressed effectively
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Of the total 279 undergraduate nursing majors for
Fall 2007, race/ethnicity data reveal
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12 self-report as Asian/Pacific Island
15 self-report Hispanic
19 self-report Black (non-Hispanic)
(UML, Institutional Research, October 2007)
Health Disparities and Health Professions
Education
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Primary focus of BDN program is to RECRUIT by
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Providing access for minority/disadvantaged students to the nursing
profession through pre-entry and recruitment efforts
Reaching out to middle and high schools Lawrence & Lowell
Offering twice yearly the ‘Introduction to Nursing’ Part I and II, and
‘Nursing as a Career’ Part I and II after-school workshops
Offering Summer College Prep and Young Scholars workshops
Participating in Career Fairs – Lowell, Lawrence, NECC, MCC
Implementing job shadowing related to nursing as a career for
middle and high schools and YMCA Teen Achiever and Junior Teen
Achiever Program
Developing promotional material (posters, logo, brochures, website)
Partnerships
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UMass Lowell Nursing, in partnership with:
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Graduate School of Education’s Summer
College Prep Program,
Lawrence Middle and High Schools,
Lowell Middle and High Schools, and
Merrimack Valley/Lawrence YMCA Teen and
Junior Teen Achievers Program
Goal: Recruit minority and economically
disadvantaged students into Nursing at
UMass Lowell
BDN Nursing Assessment Survey
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Online Assessment
Survey underway
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Knowledge of Nursing
as a Career Choice
Interest in Nursing as a
Career Choice
Summer College Prep Program
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Lawrence middle and high school students
participate at UMass Lowell’s Graduate
School of Education offering
Nursing workshops scheduled for 4 sessions
during this program
Summer 2007, 90 participants in the Nursing
workshops through the College Prep program
Lawrence and Lowell Middle and HS
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Fall 2008, Spring 2009
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Middle Schools – 4 week after-school “Nursing as
a Career Choice” workshops, Part I and Part II
Fall 2008, Spring 2009
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High Schools – 4 week after-school “Introduction
to Nursing” workshops, Part I and Part II
BDN Outreach Activities
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Open Houses
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Information Sessions RN-BS
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Middlesex Community College
Northern Essex Community College
Lahey Clinic
Career Fairs
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Lowell High School
Lawrence High School
Goals and Future Plans for BDN Project
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HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant submitted;
this additional funding would focus on RETENTION
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Rigorous retention efforts that provide tailored educational
experience and well-coordinated mentoring system
Scholarships and stipends to financially support qualified
students to become professional nurses
Graduation of minority and disadvantaged nursing
students who can provide needed health care for
diverse populations
Retention in Nursing Program Activities
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Guided by evidence-based educational models that demonstrate
success in retaining minority/disadvantaged students
 Personal needs include: financial support, laptop
computers/software, and acquisition of time management and
self-empowerment skills
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Academic needs include: individual and small group peer
tutoring, support services for professional nursing courses,
creating innovative culturally appropriate teaching strategies via
case study analysis, and offering a course that prepares students
for the rigorous reading, test-taking, and clinical requirements
expected for academic success
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Cultural needs include: individualized learning experiences,
culturally sensitive and competent nursing faculty, minority
student support group counseling sessions, ethnic role models in
clinical and community settings, and extracurricular social/cultural
activities
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Provide scholarships and
stipends and needed support
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Laptop computers and PDAs
provided
Conduct rigorous quantitative
and qualitative research to
provide us with better
understanding of the needs of
minority/disadvantaged
nursing students
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Create a community of
learning
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Centered around minority/
disadvantaged students
Provide strong leadership
Faculty and university support
Peer to peer mentoring
Early intervention
Conducive learning environment
Questions?