Rural access to continuing education with AgriSafe nurse scholar program

CoBank awarded a $50,000 grant to the AgriSafe Nurse Scholars program, funding scholarships for rural nurses. AgriSafe is a national nonprofit organization that provides agricultural occupational health services and strives to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community.

AgriSafe's Nurse Scholars program offers distancelearning opportunities to rural nurses. Scholarships for eligible nurses provide free access to the professional development training courses with a value of $500 per scholarship. This training course is self-paced, allowing nurses flexibility to complete the coursework outside their busy work schedules. Upon completion, the course offers 23 hours of American Nurses Credentialing Center credits, helping nurses advance their skills and complete necessary credits to retain their nursing licenses. Since the program launched in 2018, over 600 nurses have completed the training and joined a growing network of Nurse Scholars.

The coursework provided in the AgriSafe Scholar program focuses on health issues prevalent in rural and farming communities, such as hearing loss, opioid addiction, respiratory disease, musculoskeletal disorders and aging. Behavioral health training is an increasing focus within the program, as mental health challenges are reflected in an increase in farmer suicides, which occur at a rate 3.5 times higher than in the average population.

In addition to helping rural communities receive relevant medical assistance, the AgriSafe Nurse Scholar program gives rural nurses a remote opportunity to gain necessary credits to continue working in their field. A survey from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing estimates 40% of nurses could leave the profession by 2029.3 By providing nurses the resources and knowledge they need to continue working, they are more likely to continue serving rural communities.

“Through our support of the AgriSafe Nurse Scholars program, our goal is to help equip rural health practitioners with the education and training necessary to provide high-quality care to farming communities. Investing in the continuing education of rural nurses plays a key role in advancing the health and vitality of rural America,” said Leslie Hagele, CoBank vice president of corporate social responsibility.