2010 NURSING AND MIDWIFERY INNOVATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS

Nursing Scholars, The Nursing and Midwifery Office NSW Department of Health is offering scholarships of up to $15,000 to encourage participation by nurses and midwives in leading innovation within the public health system.

The aim is for patients to have a better experience by ensuring services are of a high quality, appropriate, safe, available when and where needed and coordinated to meet individual needs.

Who is eligible to apply for an Innovations Scholarship?

The scholarships are open to nurses and midwives working in the NSW Public Health system.

What is an innovative project?

An innovative approach is one that has not been tried before; or a new approach to an existing problem or issue.

The project should focus on patient centred care where patient safety is enhanced; the patient has a better experience and is informed and involved in decisions.

Your application should demonstrate how the innovation will enhance nursing or midwifery practice to improve service delivery and patient care.

Programs that will assist in identifying areas or priority include:

• Caring Together - The Health Action Plan for NSW
• A New Direction for NSW Department of Health - Strategic Plan Towards 2010
• Essentials of Care Program
• Mental Health Nursing including Drug and Alcohol Services

If you have not been involved in preparing a submission for an innovations scholarship before, you are encouraged to seek assistance from other nurses in your Area Health Service who have experience in preparing submissions.

Scholarship Conditions

• Applicant teams must primarily be nurses or midwives employed by the NSW public health system.
• At least 80% of the team must be employees of the NSW public health system.
• Funding will not be provided for services that are considered to be core business of the Area Health Service.
• A word limit of 2000 words or less.
• Applicants may be either individuals or team members.
• The lead person must be a nurse or midwife who is a full-time or permanent part-time employee of the NSW Public Health System.
• Funding cannot be used for tertiary education or other courses.
• Generally, up to 10% of the funding requested can be allocated to equipment.
• A letter of support for the project is required from the Director of Nursing and Midwifery or Health Service Manager.
• The team leader is responsible for dissemination of the outcomes of the project to other AHS's.
• Submissions previously funded by a NSW Department of Health Nursing and Midwifery scholarship fund will not be eligible.
• The innovation is to be carried out within 12-months of receiving the funding.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide progress summary 6-months after project commencement.
• The Nursing and Midwifery Office may publish the innovation on the Department of Health's website and in newsletters.

Planning your Project

Developing a project plan is the beginning of any project. Take time in the early stage to define exactly what you want to do and how to do it.

Five Steps in planning your project

Step 1 - Why?

What do you want this project to do?

What is your aim?

The aim should be an overall statement of what you want the project to do.

Tips

• Be specific; one aim is best. It will help focus your ideas
• Identify the improvements
• Will new ways of doing things continue after the project?
• Can it be used across the health system?

Step 2 - What?

Ask yourself what are the project's objectives and expected outcome? An objective is specific and should have measurable outcomes and time lines. It will define exactly what it is you want to achieve and what change the project will make.

• Decide what can be achieved and set your objectives.
• Identify the results or outcomes you expect.
• Identify the resources you need.
• Include the process for evaluation in your plan. This way you can gather information as you go along rather than waiting until the end.
• Meet on a regular basis with team members as new issues may arise.

Step 3 - How?

Establish the outline of the project.

• Think about the different parts of the project and how they will take shape
• From this you can develop a detailed work plan.
• Identify the resources you will need e.g. money, people, materials etc.
• Decide how you will identify and measure the outcomes.

Step 4 - Who?

Think about who should be involved in the project.

• Decide who will manage the project and how it will be managed
• Ensure that your AHS will support the project.
• You may like to find a mentor who you can bounce ideas off.
• If you want to employ a project officer allow time for recruitment.
• Make sure people involved in the project are committed.
• To ensure that people are supportive and committed to the project involve them in the planning stage.

Step 5 - When?

Make decisions about the time frame for the project. Once you have decided what the activities are you can prepare a timetable for them. Chart the activities on a timeline.

Identify important dates on the calendar. These will include:

• Significant activities
• Important dates e.g. progress report and deadlines.
• Set aside enough time for each activity
• Plan time to review the progress
• If the project can be used throughout the health system plan time to distribute to other AHS and develop a communication plan.

Develop a project plan

Remember:

• Be specific and keep it simple
• Work in a team
• Allocate tasks
• Gain support from your Director of Nursing and Midwifery or Health Services Manager for your application.
• Be clear about your intention
• The project may have many parts, ask yourself what is the overall aim?
• What is the specific thing/s that you want to achieve? What will be the results of the project's activities? What will change? Who will benefit?
• Consider how you will go about achieving what it is that you want to do.
• How will you know that you have done what you set out to do?
• You must be able to identify the result or outcome of the project.

Open and Close Dates

Open: 2^nd July 2010

Closes: 27^th September 2010

Application Form

Please send your completed application form to:

NSW Department of Health
Nursing and Midwifery Office
Scholarship Officer
Locked Mail Bag 961
North Sydney NSW 2059

Commonwealth Undergraduate Remote & Rural Nursing Scholarship Scheme (CURRNS)

Nursing Scholars, The Commonwealth Undergraduate Remote and Rural Nursing Scholarship (CURRNS) Scheme is one of a range of Federal Government initiatives aimed at increasing the number of nurses living and working in remote and rural Australia.

For many school leavers and students in remote and rural Australia, the lack of financial support can be a major obstacle to obtaining a university education. However, those students and school leavers interested in pursuing a career in remote and rural nursing can now be assisted through the scheme.

CURRNS is a national scheme providing remote and rural nursing students with scholarships to assist with accommodation, travel and living expenses incurred while studying at university.CURRNS also provides a range of support measures to remote and rural nursing students, including additional financial assistance, mentor programs and Indigenous cultural awareness training.The scholarships are worth $10,000 annually for each year of studies, up to a maximum of $30,000, and are available to remote and rural students undertaking undergraduate nursing at a tertiary level. Funds are payable each year of study provided that recipients continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

There are 110 scholarships available each year and of these at least 10 are specifically designated for awarding to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants. The Scheme is administered through Royal College of Nursing, Australia. Eligibility: The Scheme is open to students with an Australian remote or rural background who are entering or currently enrolled as a full-time student in an entry to practice accredited undergraduate nursing course at an Australian university.Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents. They must have had a principle home address in an identified Australian remote or rural area for a substantial period of time.Preference is given to students who will undertake their studies at a rural university campus, where there is one available.

Selection: Eligible applicants are assessed against selection criteria to determine their rural experience and financial need. Income tests apply to determine those students in the most financial need. Payments will only commence after the recipient has provided proof of enrolment in an undergraduate nursing degree.

Contacting RCNA about Scholarships
Email: scholarships@rcna.org.au
Freecall numbers:
1800 11 72 62 - Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Puggy Hunter Memorial Schemes;
1800 11 22 40 - Re-entry and Upskilling Scheme;
1800 11 66 96 - Aged Care Scheme.

COMMONWEALTH AGED CARE NURSING SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

For more information, visit website:

www.rcna.org.au

Free call 1800 061660

Email: scholarships@rcna.org.au

Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarships - Semester 2 2010

Postgraduate Nurse Scholarships

Nursing Scholars, For 2010-2011, public health services will receive a further scholarship quota to allow them to prioritise clinical areas of practice for scholarships based on local service and workforce development needs. Scholarships assist nurses with the costs associated with undertaking postgraduate studies.

More information about postgraduate scholarships for Semester 1 2011 will be provided when the round opens (late 2010).

Postgraduate Mental Health Nurse Scholarships - Semester 2 2010

The Mental Health, Drugs and Regions (MHDR) Division, Department of Health (DH), is offering scholarships of up to $3,000 for registered nurses working in the Victorian public health sector to support postgraduate study in mental health nursing.

Scholarship funds are a contribution towards the cost of undertaking postgraduate studies in Semester 2 of 2010, including tuition fees, student contributions, study loans (HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP), books and equipment, travel required to attend lectures and clinical placements, child care and other related study costs.

Further information will be available shortly via the following web link: http://health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/careers.htm

2010 Nurse Practitioner (NP) scholarships

The 2010 NP scholarship round has been completed.

A Victorian Nurse Practitioner Project (VNPP) Scholarship round will open in late October 2010 for nurses undertaking courses in 2011 that lead to endorsement as a NP. Go to the Nurse Practitioner scholarship page.

2009-2010 Postgraduate Nurse Scholarships

In Semester 1 2010, nurses applied directly to their employers (for public health services) for more postgraduate nurse scholarships. The scholarship quota allocated to public health services was based on nursing FTE (with 40% of the general scholarship pool allocated to rural health services).

General scholarships were then awarded to nurses employed by the public health service who were undertaking studies in a range of practice areas depending on the employers local workforce needs.

Additional scholarships in targeted practice areas such as NICU/PICU, critical care, perioperative and midwifery practice were allocated based on the departments system-wide service and workforce priorities.

In addition, 115 scholarships were awarded in the area of mental health and 15 scholarships in Maternal and Child Health were funded through the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Summary of scholarship distribution for Semester 1 2010 (excl NP scholarships)

Metropolitan distribution	General	Midwifery	Peri-operative	Critical Care	NICU/PICU	total
St Vincents Health	7		1	3		11
Western Health	7	1	1	3		12
Northern Health	5		1	2		8
Eastern Health	11		2	2		15
Alfred Health	11		2	5		17
Melbourne Health	10		2	5		17
Peninsula Health	7	1	1	3		12
Southern Health	18	1	3	8	5	35
Mercy Public Hospitals Inc.	4		1		4	9
The Royal Children's Hospital	4		1		10	15
The Royal Women's Hospital	3		1		6	10
The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear	1		1			2
Austin Health	9		2	5		16
Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute	2		1			3
Subtotal	97	3	20	36	25	181
Regional distribution
Barwon	13		2	3		18
Gippsland	13	1	2	2		18
Grampains	13		2	1		16
Hume	13		2	1		16
Loddon Mallee	13	1	2	1		17
Subtotal	65	2	10	8	0	85
Total scholarships	162	5	30	44	25	266

Prospective Students/Scholarship applicants

From Semester 1 2010:

• In metropolitan health services, applications for scholarships are now made directly to your employer.
• In rural regions, contact your health service or Director of Nursing for information about your regional scholarship application process.

Further information

For information relating to postgraduate study contact your local university.

Enquires can be directed to Nurse Policy on (03) 9096 7528 or email at: nursepolicy@health.vic.gov.au

Easy Scholarships - 5 Simple Scholarships That Anyone Can Get

The terrible shape of the economy is a large factor in the greater amount of men and women returning to college wanting to find a more suitable job. But how about the many that are looking to start school yet just simply do not have a way to pay for it? The good news is, there are numerous alternative ways to pay for school, particularly with the increased amount of easy scholarships available.

When most of us think of scholarships we think about intelligent kids with perfect marks being given a full-ride scholarship to some amazing school The actual fact is that the bulk of people enrolling in school aren't fresh from high school, instead most currently have jobs and are searching for a way to find a much better career. Many Americans are just average people searching for some assistance to pay for school.

And if you're one of these many men and women, then you should come with an alternative to those stringent scholarships which only the elite will receive. These alternative easy scholarships are out there, you just have to do some looking to find them.

Here is a list of a few of the easy scholarships you could apply for:

1. Wells Fargo. They are giving out 20 $1000 scholarships. All you need to do to make an application is just fill in your name and also contact information.

2. Create a Greeting Card. Is giving $10,000 for college. All you need to do is create a greeting card and send to them to be entered for you to win the scholarship...pretty easy!

3. The Military Scholarship. For this one you simply complete the form and you are entered for the chance at $10,000. Additionally you do not really have to be in the military in order to
win(don't tell anyone and improve your chances).

4. The Scholarships for Dads. One more $10,000 easy scholarship awarded out every month. All you need to do will be enter your name and email.

5. Scholarships for Moms. Again, just sign-up by filling in the form and you might win $10,000.

The stunning increase in cash currently being given away for college truly began this past year, 2009, and the amount of brand new scholarships is expanding every single day. 2010 may be the greatest time in history to get some quick and easy scholarships for college!