The Mississippi Board of Nursing announced Monday a new outreach initiative aimed at strengthening the nursing pipeline in the state.
Through its Office of Nursing Workforce, the initiative – called ONWard – will be created with the goal of better connecting with younger audiences and communicating the goals of nursing. The effort is tailored towards encouraging student interest in Mississippi’s nursing programs and the career path laid out for current nurses.
“Our goal is to attract more students into nursing and support working nurses as they advance professionally,” said Lacey T. Gentry, who chairs the Nursing Workforce Committee and is a professor at William Carey University. “We provide guidance, resources, and scholarship opportunities to enhance their success at every stage.”
The initiative includes various marketing strategies such as a redesigned website, targeted digital and social media outreach, and an extended presence at conferences and college events.
“We’re reaching students as early as middle school and intentionally continuing this engagement through college,” Gentry said. “The new name reflects who we serve and makes it clear that we’re a valued resource for both future and current nurses.”
Through ONWard, the Mississippi Board of Nursing will continue to build connections with students to educate them on nursing and clinical practice to help ensure that Mississippi’s healthcare system has a well-trained, highly skilled workforce.
“As Mississippi continues to lead in economic development and job creation, we must meet that growth with a workforce that is strong, skilled, and healthy,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “This effort by ONWard is exactly the kind of smart investment our state is making that helps us reinforce the healthcare foundation that keeps our economy growing. When we invest in education and training, we invest in Mississippi’s long-term prosperity.”
