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- By Kaili Berg
The funds, totaling $150,000, will bolster NAU’s American Indian Nursing Program Pathway (AIP), a two-and-a-half-year program designed to increase Native American representation in nursing and prepare graduates for careers in Native-serving healthcare institutions and reservation-based facilities.
The initiative is part of the broader effort to increase the number of Native nurses who can return to their communities and provide culturally competent care.
While the U.S healthcare system is experiencing a nursing shortage — the National Center for Health Workforce projected that by 2030, there will be a national shortage of 63,720 full-time nurses — reservations are hit particularly hard due to compounding factors: rural communities bear the bulk of shortage; only 0.4% of nurses are Native American or Alaska Native; and the Indian Health Service has a historic vacancy rate near 30%.
NAU’s AIP program admits 10 AI/AN students each fall. Before the program kicks off, students attend a seminar to help them prepare for upcoming coursework. The seminar introduces them to test-taking strategies, study habits, and time management skills while also highlighting the importance of balancing school with family and community responsibilities.
Once admitted, students receive guidance from faculty mentors, who are also Native Americans working in the nursing field. Weekly meetings and monthly cultural events allow students to hear from guest speakers, cultural medicine practitioners, and experienced nurses.
The program emphasizes clinical experiences in Native-serving healthcare institutions, such as IHS facilities in the region.
For recent graduate Colby McNabb (Diné), the AIP was life-changing. After completing his clinical rotation, he now works as a nurse full-time at the Tuba City Regional Health Care Center.
“My AIP experience was an extremely positive and eye-opening experience. Getting the opportunity to treat and help other Native Americans let me know for sure that being a nurse is the right path for me,” McNabb told Native News Online.
While academic preparation is critical, NAU recognizes that many Native students face additional challenges beyond the classroom. Family responsibilities, financial difficulties, transportation issues, and food insecurity can negatively impact student retention and success. To combat this, the program includes wraparound support services that help students navigate these challenges while staying on track to graduate.
Dr. Janina Johnson, Dean of NAU’s College of Nursing, told Native News Online the college aims to expand access to reservation-based training opportunities for students.
“This did start out as a reservation-based program, but we didn’t have enough resources to maintain that,” Johnson said. “With this [Direct Relief] grant, we’re strengthening our foundation so that we can eventually expand and increase reservation-based access.”
Johnson pointed to nursing as a means of serving Native communities.
“Nursing is an amazing profession. It’s about more than just patient care; it’s about serving communities, populations, and even entire nations. If you want to make a difference in the health of Indigenous people, this is the right path for you,” Johnson said.
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