Program Overview
Gero-STARR is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded program at the University of North Dakota focused on preparing nurses to deliver high-quality, age-friendly care.
Purpose
The overall purpose of this HRSA-funded program is to increase the number of nurses in North Dakota working in acute and long-term care settings. Gero-STARR is a recruitment and training program to increase the capacity of the geriatric nursing workforce in North Dakota.
Program Mission
The Gero-STARR Program aims to promote the recruitment and retention of students in nursing programs, increasing the nursing capacity of North Dakota for acute and long-term care to advance human well-being for all. In support of the mission of the undergraduate nursing program, efforts will prioritize recruitment from rural and educationally disadvantaged populations.
Program Philosophy
The Gero-STARR Age-Friendly Training at the College of Nursing and Professional Nursing (CNPD) is based on the educational principle that learning is reinforced for optimal retention when didactic learning is integrated with application of skills through practical hands-on simulated experiences, followed by individualized supervised experiences under the guidance of clinical agency nurses.
Program Objectives
- Strengthen the clinical excellence of undergraduate nursing students to address the complex healthcare needs of Native and Rural Elders in ND.
- Increase the admission and retention of undergraduate students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds at UND CNPD.
- Empower nursing students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds through the use of a mentoring model to promote academic success and a sense of belonging.
- Transform the nursing workforce through a transformative recruitment strategy with training of nurse preceptors and clinical instructors in the application of evidence-based 4Ms of Age Friendly Care.