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 and master’s degrees in nursing who can provide clinically excellent and culturally sensitive care to their people.

The Caring for Our Own Program (CO-OP) is a support program for Native American students pursuing their nursing degree at Montana State University. CO-OP’s goals are to increase the enrollment of American Indian nursing students in the College of Nursing at Montana State University and build a strong pool of American Indian nurses who are prepared for practice, management, and leadership to serve Indian Country.

Our program is designed to meet the unique needs of Indian students by offering the following student support services:

• Culturally sensitive academic advising
• Tutoring and community study sessions
• Seminar/workshops for American Indian nursing students
• Campus/community resource referrals
• Summer program held prior to the University’s fall semester to prepare students for college life
• Stipends for eligible students, depends on available funding
• Strong support networks for American Indian students in pursuit of a nursing degree

Apply for the program

Spring 2011 CO-OP Graduate Students

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: August 8, 2012