Drive for 5 grad now working as RN at Twin Cities hospital

“I am an RN now!!” exclaimed Emma. “I work at Mercy Hospital on a med surge!"

Emma has achieved a major milestone on her caring career journey thanks to program funded by a Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Drive for 5 grant. This unique program allowed Emma to “learn while she earned” to complete her nursing degree at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and successfully pass an exam to become a Registered Nurse (RN). She now works on a medical surgical unit at a Twin Cities area hospital. 

The Center for Nursing Equity and Excellence (CNEE), which is a partnership between the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and the Minnesota State HealthForce Center of Excellence, was awarded a $740,000 Drive for 5 grant from DEED to launch the Pre-Licensure Nursing Apprenticeship pilot program that Emma participated in. This pilot allows students to earn while they learn, allowing them to stay focused on their studies and clinical experience. This made a big difference for Emma, a single mother of two, who had to rely on a food shelf while in her first year of nursing school, while she juggled work, school and caring for her children. 

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