Rhode Island Nursing Schools

University of Rhode Island Nursing Program Goes High - Tech

KINGSTON, R.I. - It used to be that when nursing students had questions about their patients' medications and illnesses, they had to leave the bedside and consult large and often outdated reference texts. This practice was both inconvenient and time consuming.

Thanks to a partnership between the University of Rhode Island Office of Information and Instructional Technology Services and the URI College of Nursing, a pilot group of nursing students have the opportunity to find health care information quickly and efficiently at the patient's bedside using a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Earlier this fall, 100 Palm Tungsten E2 PDAs were purchased - 50 for nursing students and 50 for nursing faculty. Graduate students in Professor Laurie Lauzon Clabo's Clinical Nurse Leadership program, and undergraduate students in Professor Mary Leveillee's Psychiatric-Mental Health and Nursing in Childbearing - Reproductive Health courses were selected for the pilot project. The PDAs are on loan to the students for the academic year. They will be allowed to keep them as long as they pass their classes and write an evaluation about how they used them.

The students installed a software program called Epocrates on their PDAs, which helps them learn about drug dosing and costs. Epocrates also can store drug databases, medical references and appointments, and it has a tool to make a variety of calculations like intravenous drip rates. Because the nursing students can easily carry this information on the Palm, they no longer need to leave the patient's bedside to consult textbooks and references when questions arise. "It's important for students to have ready access to important information in the clinical setting," said Leveillee.

In addition, the databases and reference guides are easily updated on a regular basis by synchronizing the Palm to the student's own computer, ensuring the student has the most up-to-date information available. During the weekly updates, new health care alerts, scholarly articles, and updated diagnostic information are sent to the PDAs. Read more about the University of Rhode Island nursing program.

Scholarships, Financial Aid, Grant and Fellowship Opportunities

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Provides financial assistance to academy members who wish to pursue graduate study
American Academy of Nursing/Institute of Medicine Distinguished Nurse Scholar Program
Each year one senior nurse scholar is selected to go to Rhode Island to participate in one-year program of orientation and work at the Institute of Medicine
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
AACN provides a variety of programs and resources to assist members in conducting research projects
American Nurses Foundation
Awards are given in all areas of nursing, including patient outcomes, health care policy development, critical care, gerontology, women's health, community and family intervention, as well as a variety of other topics. Note: The principal investigator must be a licensed registered nurse who has obtained at least one degree, either a baccalaureate degree or higher, in nursing
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)
AORN awards funding for undergraduate and graduate education to AORN members who apply for scholarships and provide funding to nursing students who are enrolled in educational programs leading to initial licensure as registered nurses
Gerontological Society of America
Careers in Aging: Funding Sources for Students, Post-Docs, Faculty, and Researchers
Provides financial assistance to nursing and other students working on a graduate degree in gerontology
Minority Nurse Scholarship Listings
National Association of Hispanic Nurses Scholarships and Awards
Recipients will be selected on the basis of current academic standing and financial need. Must demonstrate potential for professional contributions to nursing and in serving as positive role models for other Hispanic nursing students
National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
These awards ($500-$2,000) are for Black students currentlly enrolled in a nursing program and in good scholarstic standing at time of application. Applicants must submit nursing school transcript, two letters of recommendation and a written essay. Applicants must also be members of the NBNA and of a local NBNA chapter if one exists in their area
National League for Nursing Education
The Promise of Nursing Regional Faculty Scholarship Program is designed to address the nursing shortage and expand the number of faculty prepared to teach in pre-licensure nursing programs
National Society : Daughters of the American Revolution Nursing Scholarships
American School Health Association Scholarships
American Nurses Foundation Research Program Grants
Ethnic Minority Fellowship Program
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
March of Dimes
National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN)
National Black Nurses Association (NBNA)
Nurses' Educational Funds, Inc.
The Oncology Nursing Society Foundation
A.T. Anderson Memorial Scholarship
AACN - Arthur M. Miller Fund Scholarship
AACN - Educational Advancement Scholarships - Graduate Completion
AACN - National Teaching Institute Scholarships Program
AACN Educational Advancement Scholarships - BSN Completion
AAMN Foundation Scholarships for Men
AAOHN Professional Development Scholarships
Aetna Scholarship
AFSCME Family Scholarship Program
AHNA - Charlotte McGuire Scholarships
AHNA - Research Grants
Albert E. and Florence W. Newton Nurse Scholarship
Akron General Nursing - Service League Scholarship for Graduate Education in Nursing
Alexander Graham Bell Foundation College Scholarship Award
ANA - Ethnic/Racial Minority Doctoral Fellowships
ANNA - Abbott/Pamela Balzer Career Mobility
ANNA - American Regent Career Mobility Scholarship
ANNA - Career Mobility Scholarships
ANNA - Janel Parker Career Mobility Scholarship
ANNA - Tyco/Healthcare/Kendall Products Scholarship for Continuing Education
ANNA Foundation/AMGEN Career Mobility Scholarship
Anna May Rolando Scholarship Award
National Center for Learning Disabilities Scholarships and Awards
AORN Foundation Nursing Student Scholarship
AQHF Education or Nursing Scholarship
AAOHN Professional Development Scholarships
Bernice L. Vance Scholarship
Bernice Pickens Parsons Fund
BET/Emerge Publications Scholarship
Bethesda's Developmental Disabilities Scholarship for Lutheran Nursing Students
Caroline E. Holt Nursing Scholarship
Caroline Simpson Maheady Scholarship Award
Charles Kunz Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship (ENA)
Christiana Care Health Systems Scholarship
Dr. Hilda Richards Scholarship
Dr. Lauranne Sams Scholarship
ENA Foundation Advanced Nursing Practice Scholarships
ENA Foundation Faculty Doctoral Scholarship
ENA Foundation Faculty Memorial Doctoral Scholarship
ENA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships
FNRE BSN Scholarship
FNRE Clinical Nurse Specialist Scholarship
FNRE Doctoral Scholarship
FNRE Master's Scholarship
FNRE Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Scholarship
FNRE Nursing Management Scholarship
Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association General Scholarships

Rhode Island Nursing Scholarships and Financial Aid

Prospective students should visit each school in which they are seriously interested and discuss with the school's financial aid office the assistance the school can be expected to provide. Scholarships are awarded by foundations, civic clubs, and other non-profit organizations.  Eligibility requirements (e.g. minimum grade point average, residency, or field of interest), funding amounts, and deadlines vary.

Nursing Resources

Information about employment opportunities may be obtained from local hospitals, nursing care facilities, home health care agencies, psychiatric facilities, the Rhode Island State Board of Nursing, and local offices of the State employment service. For information about accredited programs in other states visit one of the following websites: RN Programs in Texas, Nursing in South Carolina, Maine Nursing Programs and Oregon Nursing Degrees.