Impact

The Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians was established in 2005 by a group of nurse practitioners in Southern Maryland to address critical healthcare access problems in their communities. The organization’s mission remains to advance the roles of all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) through education, collaboration, and legislative advocacy with a deep commitment to professional development and expanding healthcare access. MAAPC’s foundational commitment stems from addressing healthcare challenges in rural and underserved areas of Maryland to increase patient access to high quality care. Beyond legislative advocacy, MAAPC develops innovative continuing education programs focusing on clinical practice, pharmacology, and leadership development. These educational initiatives prepare healthcare professionals to practice at the highest level of their training and become leaders in their respective fields.

By establishing this scholarship at the College of Southern Maryland, MAAPC honors its roots in Southern Maryland while investing in the next generation of nursing professionals. The organization recognizes that today’s associate degree nursing students represent the foundation of tomorrow’s healthcare workforce and potential future advanced practice clinicians who will continue MAAPC’s mission of expanding healthcare access and improving patient outcomes throughout Maryland.

There is evidence in the medical literature that obtaining a registered nurse (RN) license can help elevate a person from poverty. Multiple studies demonstrate that nursing education provides a pathway to upward socioeconomic mobility, particularly for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A cross-sectional study of female nursing graduates in East Africa found that nursing education was associated with marked upward intergenerational educational mobility, with 76% of respondents achieving a qualification two levels above their mothers and 59% above their fathers. The study concluded that nursing education positively impacted gender, economic factors, and health outcomes, supporting the idea that becoming an RN can facilitate economic advancement and break cycles of poverty, especially for women in low- and middle-income settings (Brownie et al., 2018).

In the United States, research using national survey data has shown that RNs, including those who enter the profession through associate degree or diploma programs, experience significant increases in lifetime earnings compared to those without an RN license. Completing a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) is associated with even higher lifetime earnings and greater access to advanced practice, academic, and management roles, further supporting economic mobility (Spetz & Bates, 2013).

Additionally, focused support programs for nursing students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds have demonstrated high rates of program completion and first-time NCLEX-RN passage, enabling these individuals to enter the nursing workforce and improve their economic status (Colville et al., 2015; Craft-Blacksheare, 2018; Kennison et al., 2024) The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nursing also highlights that RN programs, particularly at the associate degree level, serve as important pipelines for individuals from economically disadvantaged communities to enter stable, well-compensated healthcare careers (JOGNN, 2023).

In summary, the medical literature supports that obtaining a registered nurse license can help elevate a person from poverty by providing access to stable employment, higher lifetime earnings, and opportunities for career advancement, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds (Craft-Blacksheare, 2018; Kennison et al., 2024; JOGNN, 2023).

References:
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (2023). Nursing Workforce Diversity. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN, 52(4), e5–e9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2023.04.004
Brownie, S., Wahedna, A. H., & Crisp, N. (2018). Nursing as a pathway to women’s empowerment and intergenerational mobility. Journal of clinical nursing, 27(21-22), 4050–4057. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14540
Colville, J., Cottom, S., Robinette, T., Wald, H., & Waters, T. (2015). A community college model to support nursing workforce diversity. The Journal of nursing education, 54(2), 65–71. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20150119-12
Craft-Blacksheare M. (2018). New Careers in Nursing: An Effective Model for Increasing Nursing Workforce Diversity. The Journal of nursing education, 57(3), 178–183. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20180221-
Kennison, M., Dzurec, L. C., & Smith, R. J. (2024). Diversifying the Workforce Through Focused Support of Nursing Students With Socioeconomic Challenges. The Journal of nursing education, 63(12), 844–849. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20240730-01
Spetz, J., & Bates, T. (2013). Is a baccalaureate in nursing worth it? The return to education, 2000-2008. Health services research, 48(6 Pt 1), 1859–1878. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12104

Scholarships

• Future Nightingales Endowed Scholarship