Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will benefit from additional financial support thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service.

The grant will fund the successful Indians in Nursing: Career Advancement and Transition Scholars, or INCATS, program for another five years. The program provides Indigenous students at the U of A College of Nursing with financial support for tuition, fees and a living stipend.

Additionally, the grant provides resources for dedicated time and personnel to partner with tribal communities in Arizona, fostering outreach and engagement efforts to inspire young Indigenous people to pursue nursing careers.

"This grant provides critical resources that not only support our Indigenous nursing scholars but also help us connect with tribal communities in Arizona to strengthen the tribal nursing workforce," said Timian Godfrey, an associate clinical professor at the College of Nursing and director of the INCATS program. 

Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers stand to gain significantly from INCATS funding, with an overall goal to ultimately improve health care in Native American communities. The program was developed to increase the number of highly trained and skilled Native American nurses in tribal health care facilities and create new pathways for nurses with two-year associate degrees to advance their careers.

Godfrey, who is Diné (Navajo), said the program has supported 13 Native American students, 10 of whom have graduated, in advancing their nursing education and careers.

"This grant provides a valuable opportunity to educate, train, mentor and graduate more Indigenous nurses from the University of Arizona who will then go on to work with Indigenous peoples and support the health of those respective communities," Godfrey said. "The goal of this work is to advance health equity for Indigenous peoples, and education is a key component of health for a community."

"This additional funding from the Indian Health Service is a vote of confidence in our program and, more importantly, our Native American students," said Brian Ahn, dean of the College of Nursing. "The INCATS program has a successful record of increasing the number of Indigenous nurses in Arizona, and we look forward to expanding that impact over the next five years."

Godfrey said the grant should fully support four to six Indigenous students during each of the next five years, providing them with the tools and education they need to succeed in the nursing profession. 

"The INCATS program is a model for the nation about how to diversify the nursing workforce and educate the next generation of Indigenous nurses," said nursing professor Terry Badger, director of research initiatives and the Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair at the College of Nursing.

A version of this article originally appeared on the U of A Health Sciences website.