Congressman Russ Carnahan Secures Congressional-Directed Grant to Support Webster University Nurse Educator and Nurse Specialist Program

Missouri’s Need for Nurse Educators and Nurse Specialists at Critical Level

ST. LOUIS, March 18, 2009 – Thanks to the support of Congressman Russ Carnahan, Webster University will receive $262,000 in congressionally-directed grant funding to support degree programs to prepare nurse educators and nurse specialists in healthcare leadership and anesthesia.

Missouri’s aging population requires more frequent care, and as cost containment measures minimize hospital-based care and maximize delivery of services in doctor’s offices and same-day surgery centers, the demand for skilled nurses will continue to grow. According to the latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Labor Review, more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2016. Missouri’s circumstances reflect the nationwide shortage. Webster University’s expanded programs to prepare nurse educators and nurse specialists in anesthesia, family systems nursing, and healthcare leadership will help meet the increasing need for such services. 

“Students in our unique part-time and evening nursing programs will benefit tremendously from this grant,” said Webster University President Neil J. George.  “Congressman Carnahan’s support of these critical programs means Webster will be able to provide academic scholarships, housing stipends and support services for our nursing students.  We will also use the grant funding to purchase updated classroom and laboratory equipment.” 

Webster is one of only a handful of universities in the region to offer a master’s degree in nursing with an emphasis in nurse education. This program prepares nurses to teach in schools of nursing throughout Missouri and across the country. The National League for Nursing reports that U.S. nursing schools turned away more than 147,000 qualified applicants to baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2005 due to an insufficient number of faculty, classrooms, clinical sites and budget allocations. 

With its home campus in St. Louis, Webster University is a worldwide institution committed to delivering high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence. Founded in 1915, Webster offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through five schools and colleges, and a global network of more than 100 campuses. Its 20,000-plus student population represents almost 150 nationalities. The University’s core values include excellence in teaching, joining theory and practice, small class sizes, and educating students to be lifelong independent learners, fully prepared to participate in an increasingly international society.

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