FSU’s College of Nursing Earns Federal Grant for Military Veterans

By James Celeste
Outlook Writer

Veterans all around the country that are in the medical field have much to be excited about, as Florida State University’s College of Nursing has been funded through a federal grant that is worth about $800,000.

 
Over the next three years, the grant will serve the educational needs of military veterans who aspire to pursue a career in nursing. Eleven institutions in the nation including FSU were awarded the Veterans Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Program (VBSN) grant, all thanks to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

 
HRSA has had a number of workforce grants that were on their bulletin, but one in particular caught the eye of Associate Professor Jim Whyte, program director for the grant.
“I thought it would be a great way for us to develop a program that grasp the needs for vets who are medics but don’t have any severer credentials but they have great experience,” said Whyte.

 
A retired Navy officer himself, Whyte worked extensively with a large core of medics in his time of service. When the opportunity came, the program director created an accelerated pathway for veterans with a degree that is eligible for the one year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

 
“This funding will provide the college with the infrastructure support needed to assess and educate qualified veterans interested in pursuing a career in nursing,” said Judith McFetridge-Durdle, dean of FSU’s College of Nursing in a press release. “This grant will also strengthen the college’s position as a participant in Florida State’s veterans support initiatives and its goal to be the most veteran-friendly university in the nation.”