News and Announcements

(LEBANON, Ill., January 25, 2019) — A $49,840 grant from the Telligen Community Initiative (TCI) will support the development and delivery of an innovative population health track in the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) online degree program at McKendree University.

The university’s online MSN provides graduate-level study for nurses in specific areas such as management, education and population health. The TCI grant will enable McKendree to create a specific population health option for aspiring nurse leaders and educators, with emphasis on rural and underserved areas.

The course curriculum will incorporate best evidence and practices; experiential learning; and collaboration with local, state and national resources and supporting organizations. These include the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, the Illinois Academic/Public Health Partnership and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, among others. The project will also establish partnerships between public health departments and critical access hospitals.

The goal is to impact systems and organizational, population and patient outcomes; to improve health care delivery; and to create sustainable improvements in overall health and wellness. Dr. Janice Albers, RN, and Dr. Amy Piontek, RN, assistant professors of nursing, secured the grant and will oversee the project.

“Very few MSN programs in the nation have a population health focus,” said Albers. “Recognizing that there are excessive hardships experienced in rural and underserved areas, the faculty at McKendree University embraced its duty to prepare nurses to effectively serve those experiencing health disparities through the unique MSN Population Health Option.

“We connected with our strong partners locally, at the state level, and accessed our connections at the national level as well to create a unique curriculum. Our program will provide students with real and relevant experiences to positively influence health outcomes.”

According to its website, TCI invests in community “programs and nonprofits that address social determinants that impact health and enhance equity, that are making healthcare education more accessible, and that are fostering innovation.” In the past five years, TCI has funded nearly $7.6 million in community-based grant support to 197 projects in four states: Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma and Colorado.

To find out more about enrolling in the MSN population health concentration with McKendree University, call (618) 537-6507.