Bridging a Primary Health Care Shortage in New Jersey
An HRSA grant worth more than $2.5 million is bringing change for the better to the challenging healthcare landscape of Cumberland County
Two facts: the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the overall employment of nurse practitioners (NPs) is projected to grow from 2023 to 2031 at a much faster rate than the average for all occupations. The second fact is that Cumberland County in New Jersey ranks 21st out of the state’s 21 counties for healthcare outcomes.
Cumberland is the state’s poorest county and has long been considered the state’s least healthy county. But thanks to a more than $2.5 million grant awarded to the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden (RSNC) by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), there will be increased training available for NPs—and these NPs will be applying their skills and experience in support of the people of Cumberland County.
Nurse practitioners have emerged as an important part of the solution to the primary care workforce shortage—a deficit fueled by a rapidly aging population and a limited supply of new primary care providers. This is according to Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Advanced Nursing Practice and Clinical Assistant Professor Joseph Cipriano, who served as the grant’s principal investigator.
“Nursing is consistently ranked as the most trusted profession,” Cipriano said. “This program is an opportunity for nurse practitioners to build upon their nursing education. Like myself, many nurse practitioners obtain their doctoral degree to care for patients at the highest degree of education and preparation.”
For Angela M. Kelly, clinical associate professor at RSNC, who served as the grant’s co-principal investigator, the HRSA funding is personal.
“I grew up in Cumberland County and practiced there for over 20 years,” Kelly said. “I know the county’s profound need for improved access to primary care. In underserved rural communities with great need, and where there is an acute shortage of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners can improve access to care, reduce wait times, and provide more personalized care to patients.
“To truly serve this community makes me very proud.”
Joseph Cipriano, associate dean of graduate programs and advanced nursing practice and clinical assistant professor; Angela M. Kelly, clinical associate professor
Joseph Cipriano, associate dean of graduate programs and advanced nursing practice and clinical assistant professor; Angela M. Kelly, clinical associate professor
(left to right) Michele Fortune, APN and Azizeh J. Salloum, MD, MPH with CompleteCare Health Network
(left to right) Michele Fortune, APN and Azizeh J. Salloum, MD, MPH with CompleteCare Health Network
It is acknowledged that nurse practitioner residents trained in underserved communities have an increased likelihood of continuing to practice in these communities. This supports the RSNC goal of sustaining a dedicated pipeline of providers in order to expand access to primary care in southern New Jersey.
The HRSA grant will be administered over four years by RSNC and will support training for NP residents who will complete their clinical hours at primary care sites managed by CompleteCare Health Network (CCHN). CCHN is the second largest of New Jersey’s federally qualified health centers, with seven primary care health facilities in the southern part of the state. Most of CCHN’s patients (68 percent) live in Cumberland County.
“This program is an opportunity for nurse practitioners to build upon their nursing education.”
The NP traineeship program takes about a year to complete. The program is committed to expanding access to maternal health providers within underserved communities. All NP residents will complete in-person clinical rotations in both behavioral and maternal health with clinical faculty preceptors in those specialized areas. The program will also help to promote wellness and resiliency for NPs in the workforce, as it is crucial for maintaining high-quality patient care and preventing burnout.
“Nurse practitioners often work long hours and have heavy workloads, with many complex patients to manage,” Cipriano said. “All our nurse practitioner residents will attend a monthly mindfulness and resiliency retreats incorporated into their program schedule. Residents will also undergo career development mentoring and coaching throughout their time in the program.”
“To truly serve this community makes me very proud.”
As the number of NPs entering practice increases and legislation changes, NPs will function more and more autonomously, and their responsibilities will grow in complexity and importance. The opportunities provided by the HRSA funding are set to expand and accelerate RSNC’s ability to meet the primary health care needs of complex and underserved communities.
*This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,533,682 with 30% of the participant stipend financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
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