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> Caring For Our Own
Project Details
The population density of the state overall is less than 5.5 persons per square mile. The state ranks 48th among all states in population density, with only Wyoming and Alaska having lesser population densities. Forty-six of the fifty-six counties are designated "frontier." Fifty four of Montana's fifty six counties are non-metropolitan. Only two counties in Montana have urban concentrations of greater than 50,000, and there are only five population centers. They range in size from Billings, the largest, at 81,000, to Bozeman at 22,600. The total population living in these five cities is estimated to be 226,000. The remaining residents (574,000) are widely disbursed in 471 smaller communities and on farms and ranches.
The American Indian population, Montana’s primary minority population, continues to grow in numbers and as a percentage of the total in Montana. There are 48,000 American Indians in Montana. This represents six percent of the population of Montana as compared to the national average of seven-tenths percent per state (Offner, 1992). American Indians in Montana confront serious and persistent health problems as well as economic and social hardships. The most prevalent health problems are complex and in some cases significantly greater than rates for the United States as a whole. Age-adjusted mortality rates for problems such as diabetes mellitus accidents, tuberculosis, alcoholism, for example, range from 200-66% greater than for the population as a whole. Malignant neoplasms and HIV infection are both lower than the U.S. rates. Leading causes of death in the Billings IHS Service Area, 1990-1992, 18.6 percent of all deaths were caused by diseases of the heart. This was followed by accidents (15.6), malignant neoplasms (15.6) and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (5.1%).
The number of American Indian students enrolled in baccalaureate education in Montana has dropped sharply during the last ten years. Some of the decline is attributable to an increase in associate degree programs available. However, there is no corresponding increase in the number of American Indian nurses enrolled in baccalaureate completion programs for registered nurses.
1.0 By the end of the "Caring for Our Own Project (CO-OP)" the total number of American Indian Students enrolled in the College of Nursing’s BSN program will have increased 75% over the current level (n=13).
2.0 Retention rates for American Indian nursing students will be equal to or greater than non-American Indian classmates, indexed to lists of students enrolled in lower division courses each semester of each project year.
3.0 Retention rates for American Indian nursing students in clinical courses at the junior and senior levels will be increased to a level greater than or equal to non-American Indian classmates enrolled in upper-division courses, as indexed to lists of students enrolled in upper division courses each semester of each project year.
4.0 By the end of the project period there will be demonstrable, sustainable improvement in levels of cultural sensitivity and support in the academic environment for American Indian Nursing students in the College of Nursing.
The project proposes to increase opportunities for American Indian students from Montana Indian Reservations by 1) identifying, recruiting and selecting these students; 2) facilitating their entry into the Montana State University-Bozeman College of Nursing and; 3) providing services to assist them to successfully complete their nursing education. In order to enhance their ability to succeed in both the general education portion of the nursing curriculum and nursing courses; 4) students will be provided academic enrichment during summers and the regular school year, both before and after enrolling in the College of Nursing; 5) be provided a stipend while they progress through the nursing curriculum. To ensure the success of the program during and following grant funding, 6) faculty will be provided training and encouragement to adopt supportive academic policies, culturally sensitive teaching methods and more effective advising techniques.
Evaluation and assessment will be the responsibility of the project director with input from project staff and reservation-based advisory groups. Assessment and evaluation will focus on the project’s progress in meeting its specific objectives that support the major goals of recruitment, retention, a more culturally sensitive learning environment for American Indian students and, ultimately an increase in the supply of BSN prepared American Indian nurses for Montana and the Northern Rock Mountain region.
As each component of the program is implemented, project staff will compile progress reports on the activities of the project. At the end of each semester, American Indian nursing students in the program will be asked to complete an evaluation of their courses and the support activities provided by the program and MSU College of Nursing faculty who participate in workshops will be asked to complete an evaluation of the workshop.
Evaluation will focus on indicators of success of the program such as: An increase of at least 75% in the number of American Indian nursing students enrolled at MSU-Bozeman by the third year of the program as compared to the baseline data collected in year one; an increase of at least 25% in the number of American Indian students attending middle and high schools on or near the targeted reservations who include nursing as one of their top three career choices; A retention rate of at least 75% of the American Indian students on stipend who enroll in nursing; A retention rate of at least 50% of the American Indian students not on stipend who enroll in nursing; A retention rate of at least 75% of the American Indian students who are placed at upper division clinical campuses for their junior and senior year..
A final program evaluation will be completed by the program staff to make recommendations for sustaining the successful components of the program and to identify improvements that can be made by the College of Nursing, the American Indian nurses support groups developed through the program and at the tribal colleges working with the program to assure continued increases in the numbers of American Indian nurses in the targeted areas.
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