Currently, the United States (US) is facing a critical shortage of nursing faculty, particularly faculty with the skills, knowledge, research, and leadership abilities to prepare our future providers and leaders in Child-Health Nursing (CHN). The shortage of Child-Health nurse faculty with leadership abilities has, subsequently, resulted in less qualified faculty teaching CHN, and fewer skilled nurse researchers to address the community-based, child health issues. Coupled with facing the critical shortage of skilled leaders in Child-Health Nursing, the US is also facing changing trends in children’s health with the increasing rates of child-onset adult conditions and co-morbidities and decreasing numbers of CHN providers. Thus, with of the shortage of CHN faculty and the presence of less qualified faculty teaching CHN the result will be fewer child health nurses to provide quality health care services. In addition, the shortage of skilled nurse researchers in child health will result in fewer research investigations needed to develop new knowledge and test interventions for children and families. The purpose of the proposed program, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Leadership Education in Child-Health Nursing (LECHN) Program: Building Capacity and Leadership in Child-Health Nursing, is to improve the health status of children and families, particularly those in the southeastern region of the US by building capacity and leadership in CHN faculty.

Project Goals

GOAL 1: Graduate Education- To increase the number of PhD CHN faculty who are prepared to assume leadership roles in CHN education which espouses the MCH core values of interdisciplinary, culturally sensitive, family-centered, community-based, evidence-based and collaborative care for children and families (2008-2013).

GOAL 2: Research- To increase the number of PhD CHN faculty who are prepared in leadership roles to conduct community-based, interdisciplinary research related to children and families that addresses bio-behavioral, bio-psychological, environmental, developmental and/or economic concepts or issues and who will train and mentor future CHN researchers (2008-2013).

GOAL 3: Advocacy- To increase the number of PhD CHN faculty who are prepared in leadership roles to advocate for the health and well-being of children and families and who will train and mentor future CHN leaders to be advocates for children and families (2008-2013).

GOAL 4: Post Graduate Education- To provide graduate CHN training in leadership and research roles to medium- and short-term trainees who are current nursing faculty with career goals to be CHN faculty (2008-2013).

GOAL 5: Continuing Education and Technical Assistance – To annually provide technical assistance/consultation, continuing education and collaboration to child health agencies, community-based groups, and health care professionals at the national, regional, state and community levels that are responsive to agency and community needs and that will enhance capacity to provide and/or ensure the provision of integrated, interdisciplinary, family-centered, community-based, culturally appropriate, evidence-based care for children and families (2008-2013).