Idaho State Implementation Program Educating the Idaho Nursing Workforce of the Future Phases 1 and 3 Project Plans: Areas of Focus: This project builds on the work products of the first State Implementation Program grant to evaluate outcomes of five nurses completing the Iowa transition to practice nurse residency model. The project will determine if the model is cost-effective and sustainable, and valuable for Critical Access Hospitals. • Residency • Education • Diversity Contact: Margaret Henbest Project Director Idaho Alliance of Leaders in Nursing [email protected] Sandra Evans Project Co-Director Idaho Board of Nursing [email protected] The project will create a state-wide strategic plan to implement a competency-based model of academic progression. This includes a web-based repository of resources to promote academic progression in nursing. The project will pilot the program with at least one community college – university partnership for seamless academic progression, with subsequent dissemination of the tested model. The planned outcome is a 5% increase in the percent of ASN/AD nurse graduates in the pilot cohort who immediately enroll in a BSN program. To increase opportunities for diverse nurses, the project will develop a Diversity Action Plan, to be incorporated into the statewide strategic plan for nursing. Best practices to increase diversity of nursing graduates will be developed and disseminated through a statewide educator conference, and at least one nursing program will implement additional strategies to increase diversity. The project will also facilitate the formation of a nurse association chapter representing one or more traditionally underrepresented groups.