About Our Program
Nursing is a very special profession which provides us with the privilege of being
able to help families, individuals, and communities as they strive for healthy lives.
Although the population of American Indian and Alaska Native people is increasing
nationwide, this group still has a lower life expectancy and confronts serious and
persistent health problems as well as economic and social hardships. At the same time,
American Indian/Alaska Native nurses are seriously under-represented in the professional
nursing workforce, thus creating a critical need for more professional nursing education
opportunities for American Indian/Alaska Native men and women. Health care of the
American Indian and Alaska Native people can be improved by increasing the number
of nurses with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing who can provide clinically
excellent and culturally sensitive care to their people.
Vision
The Caring for Our Own Program supports American Indian and Alaska Native populations in developing a highly skilled and culturally competent nursing workforce to promote positive change and to improve the quality of healthcare within Native communities.
Mission
The Caring for Our Own Program strengthens American Indian and Alaska Native students in their pursuit of nursing education by improving leadership and academic skills and by providing a dedicated community of support.
Goals
- To expand nursing education opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native students.
- To enhance workforce diversity in nursing to meet the increasing need for culturally sensitive quality healthcare.
- To encourage leadership development of American Indian and Alaska Native students to become innovators in the nursing profession.
- To assist American Indian and Alaska Native students to overcome educational and economic barriers to earn a college degree.