Nursing is a very special profession which provides us with the privilege of being able to help families, individuals, and communities as they strive for healthy lives. Although the population of American Indian people is increasing nationwide, this group still has a lower life expectancy and confronts serious and persistent health problems as well as economic and social hardships. At the same time, American Indian nurses are seriously under-represented in the professional nursing workforce, thus creating a critical need for more professional nursing education opportunities for American Indian men and women. Health care of the American Indian people can be improved by increasing the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees in nursing who can provide clinically excellent and culturally sensitive care to their people.

The College of Nursing at Montana State University responded to the need for more Native American nurses prepared in universities receiving a "Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant" grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase nursing education opportunities for Native American men and women. The grant was awarded beginning in 1999 under the guidance of the Division of Nursing, HRSA. The grant provides support to recruit, retain and graduate increased numbers of Native Americans who will enter and graduate from the College of Nursing with Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing. Men and women who are enrolled members of all tribes are enthusiastically encouraged to take advantage of this special program. In order to increase the chances of success of the project, the College of Nursing formed partnerships with and enlisted the help of groups of Native American nurses, public school and tribal community college leaders, Indian Health Service personnel and other community stakeholders from each of these three Reservations. The purpose of the partnership is to develop a support network for American Indian students in pursuit of professional nursing education and practice. It is anticipated that partnerships will also be formed with other Montana tribes as we develop the means to do so.

The general goals of this collaborative effort are to: 1) increase the number of Native American nursing students who enroll in the MSU College of Nursing, 2) develop a supportive network that will continue to nurture and support more Native American nursing students through to graduation, and 3) rebuild the shrinking pool of Native American nurses who are prepared through their education for: practice in community- and ambulatory-based care settings; more effective and independent management of the care of patients in hospitals; leadership positions in a changing system of health care; and, for entry into graduate programs.

Spring 2007 CO-OP Student Graduates

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