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Carlow University Given Two Grants for Nursing Behavioral Health Education

  • 09/27/18

PITTSBURGH, PA – Carlow University has received two grants totaling $130,000 that will be used to develop and implement behavioral health experiential activities for its graduate and undergraduate nursing programs.

In today’s healthcare system, the mental health needs of patients are often not well addressed by providers.  Carlow University will use these grants to enhance the preparation of nurses to meet the behavioral health needs of their patients.

“Rather than offer a separate behavioral health class in isolation, Carlow decided that a more holistic approach would be to offer integrated content throughout the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs,” says Lynn George, PhD, RN, CNE, dean of the College of Health and Wellness at Carlow. 

The grants—$100,000 from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and $30,000 from The Fine Foundation—will be used to provide a blend of classroom education, simulated interviews with patients, and case studies to prepare Carlow family nurse practitioner (FNP) graduate students and pre-licensure bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) students training to effectively care for patients with behavioral health challenges. The Fine Foundation grant is specifically targeted toward the FNP program and will focus on women’s health, as well as behavioral health.

“These grants will be used to create sustainable educational models that will prepare graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to address the workforce shortage,” says George. “It will be used to strengthen the expertise of nurses and nurse practitioners to care for teens, young adults, and adults with behavioral health care needs.”

Carlow will develop enhanced content, coupled with experiential learning activities achieved through simulations using live patient actors to teach its nursing students about the finer points of caring for patients with behavioral health issues.

“We thank both the Jewish Health Foundation and The Fine Foundation for their support in this coordinated approach to enhance behavioral health care,” says George. “We believe this is a novel concept in higher education of healthcare professionals.”

About Carlow University
Carlow University is a private, co-educational, Catholic university located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s “Eds, Meds, and Tech” district. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Carlow’s graduates, curricula, and partnerships reflect its strong commitment to social justice; ethical, forward-thinking and responsible leadership; and service to the community that has a meaningful impact. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in four colleges: Health and Wellness, Leadership and Social Change, Learning and Innovation, and Professional Studies. Carlow graduates are in demand for their professional expertise, in fields ranging from nursing, the sciences, and perfusion technology to counseling, education, and forensic accounting; their entrepreneurial spirit and creative mindset; and their ability to manage change. Carlow’s 13 athletic teams are known as the Celtics, a reflection of the university’s Irish heritage and roots.

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