Riggs Community Health Center Launches Postgraduate Residency Training Program for Family Nurse Practitioners
September 25, 2019
Community Health Quality Recognition
November 15, 2021
Indiana’s First Rural Health Focused Nurse Practitioner Residency Program
“Preparing the future. Fulfilling the need.”
Why the rural health focus for Riggs’ NP Residency Program?
More than 46 million Americans or 15% of the U.S. population live in rural areas. Numerous studies have shown a significant gap in health between rural and urban Americans. Rural residents tend to be older and sicker than their urban counterparts.
Indiana is a heavily rural state with increased poverty. Indiana is also ranked 42nd of 50 states in access to mental healthcare. The problems are going to become more severe due to those leaving rural communities headed for places with better jobs and more resources- this includes healthcare providers. In recent years, rural Indiana has also seen an influx of migrant Latinos. All of these factors combined clearly shows the need for increased access to healthcare in the rural setting and those trained to provide care for rural and underserved populations.
Our residency program is monumental for Riggs CHC and the state of Indiana!
Riggs CHC is the first in the state of Indiana to develop a rural health -focused nurse practitioner residency program. Riggs CHC is the second federally qualified health center (FQHC) in the state of Indiana to develop a NP residency program-. The first was started in 2016 at HealthLinc in Valparaiso, IN. Riggs CHC’s NP residency program will be one of only three in the entire state. The third will be implemented at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN.
Our Community Partners
“We are very excited to partner with Riggs Community Health Center’s Nurse Practitioner Residency Program. With four rural health clinics, we strongly believe that we can provide a unique and challenging clinical experience for the residents, with the hope that we can ultimately welcome some of the residents upon completion of the program. Many thanks to the Riggs Team for planning and launching this valuable training to help meet the needs of the communities we serve.”
“Valley Oaks Health is pleased to be a partner in this residency program. We are
a community mental health center and are continually looking at ways to participate in extended and ongoing training for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners. We have been an active preceptor site for students in three different psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner programs and look forward to working with the residents.”
“Purdue University School of Nursing is proud and excited to collaborate with our partners in furthering the education of quality competent Nurse Practitioners and to promote the role of NPs in the healthcare system. The residency program will enhance and refine the skills of beginning Nurse Practitioners in providing comprehensive, holistic care to the rural and underserved residents in Indiana.”
