Bushnell University Awarded $1 Million Grant to Combat Oregon’s Nursing Crisis

EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University is proud to announce its receipt of a $1 million Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) under the Future Ready Oregon initiative. This grant, part of a competitive statewide effort to bolster healthcare workforce development, supports the groundbreaking “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant, which aims to address Oregon’s critical nursing shortage by training and retaining nurses in rural and underserved areas.

This initiative, developed in collaboration with PeaceHealth Oregon and Lane Workforce Partnership, takes an innovative approach to workforce challenges in rural healthcare. Designed to support historically underserved populations, including low-income individuals and women, the grant supports efforts to recruit, train, and retain bachelor’s degree-level nurses who are interested in serving within non-urban healthcare settings.

For Bushnell nursing students, the grant provides for nursing-specific scholarships while also funding available academic support services. Additionally, the grant supports new wrap-around services for these students through Lane Workforce Partnership. For new graduates and early career nurses who work in the PeaceHealth Oregon network, the grant funds a new nurse mentorship program. Comprehensively, the grant removes financial and logistical barriers to training and retention, ensuring nurses are prepared and supported throughout their education and early practice.

“This transformative initiative underscores Bushnell University’s commitment to providing equitable and impactful healthcare education,” said President Dr. Joseph Womack. “The Healthcare Workforce Ready Grant will empower aspiring Bushnell nurses and strengthen rural healthcare systems, helping to create a sustainable pipeline of nurse leaders in Lane County and beyond.”

Through “Paving a Pathway to Practice,” student and early career nurses will benefit from:

• Financial Support: Scholarships and wrap-around support services to reduce the economic burden of a Bushnell nursing education
• Accelerated Training: Streamlined degree pathway and available academic supports to prepare Bushnell student nurses for critical patient care roles
• Mentorship: A robust nurse mentorship model for new graduates and early career nurses who work in PeaceHealth Oregon network clinical practice settings

This program is a critical step in ensuring that rural hospitals in Oregon not only attract skilled nurses but also retain them through a supportive professional ecosystem.

The $1 million grant funding will facilitate project implementation through June 2026, with the ultimate goal of alleviating the nursing crisis and improving healthcare outcomes in underserved communities.

“This grant will have a tremendous impact in Lane County, particularly in our rural areas where we see a chronic and acute shortage of nurses,” said Nicole Gooding, director of the Institute for Nursing Excellence, PeaceHealth Oregon. “We look forward to building on our efforts with Bushnell University and Lane Workforce Partnership in helping train and support nurses to fill a pressing need in our smaller communities throughout the county,” said Gooding, who collaborated with Bushnell University staff on the grant application.

Bushnell University’s proposal was recognized for its strong emphasis on equity, innovation, and strategic partnerships, aligning with healthcare workforce priorities in the state. Bushnell University expresses gratitude to the HECC and the Future Ready Oregon initiative for recognizing the urgency of Oregon’s healthcare workforce needs and providing the resources to make a meaningful difference.

For more information about the “Paving a Pathway to Practice” grant award and Bushnell University’s School of Nursing, please contact:

Media Contact:
Lars Coburn, M.A., Director of University Relations
Bushnell University

Phone: 541-684-7320
Email: lacoburn@bushnell.edu

To read the full HECC press release visit:

PRESS RELEASE: Workforce Ready Grants Expand Career Pathways in Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Technology

To read more news about the Bushnell School of Nursing visit:

Bushnell’s School of Nursing Receives $2.5M Grant | News

Bushnell University Nursing Continues Academic Excellence – News

Oregon State Board of Nursing Grants Final Program Approval and Enrollment Expansion to Bushnell University’s ABSN Program – Academics