Riverland gets $100K grant for nursing project
Published 6:50 am Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Riverland Community College is getting a big boost for nurses in the Owatonna area.
The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership awarded Riverland a $100,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for a Post-acute Care Nursing Competency Training project. MJSP works strategically with businesses and educational institutions to train or retrain workers, expand work opportunities, and keep high-quality jobs in Minnesota.
The funded project partners Riverland, the Benedictine Health System and Koda Living Community with a significant link to the Owatonna Hospital and Allina Hospitals and Clinics to develop and deliver evidence-based skilled nursing. Outcomes will support patient safety and recovery, increase opportunities for career advancement, reduce hospital readmissions, and expand long-term care training capacity in rural Minnesota.
The training, developed by Riverland, in consultation with the Owatonna Hospital and Allina Hospitals and Clinics, will ensure improved and appropriate continuity of care as patients transition from the hospital to post-acute care, to home.
Owatonna Hospital and its patients will benefit from the project, according to Riverland officials. The type of PACU under development at Koda has been proven to significantly decrease hospital readmissions within 30-days of discharge. By discharging post-acute patients to Koda, the Owatonna Hospital will be better able to meet their goal of averting readmissions.