The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing teams up with leading home health provider to establish the Well Care Home Health Leadership Scholars Program–a funded program to prepare nurse leaders for the home health industry.

In August 2016, the UNC School of Nursing will introduce the Well Care Home Health Leadership Scholars Program, the result of an innovative new partnership with North Carolina-based Well Care Home Health, a leader in health care for in-home post-acute patients. Funded through charitable contributions from Well Care Home Health, the Scholars Program seeks to attract highly qualified master of science in nursing students to the home health industry through focused coursework and clinical experiences in the home health field. Well Care Home Health Scholars will be enrolled in UNC’s #4-nationally ranked Health Care Systems Clinical Nurse Leaders graduate program.

The Program will fund scholarships for Well Care Scholars annually, as well as oversight provided by Associate Professor Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, CNL, who will serve as the Well Care Faculty Scholar and liaison between the two organizations to create unique learning experiences for both home health providers and students. Well Care Scholars will participate in an intensive interprofessional curriculum designed to prepare them for team-based management and for focused study into quality and process improvement in the home health setting. Scholars will gain clinical experience with Well Care Home Health and will participate in activities and projects focused on home health care, leadership, and interprofessional collaboration.

“At a time when the home health industry is facing ever-increasing demands and exceptional growth, this kind of forward-thinking educational program is particularly needed and welcomed. Well Care Home Health Scholars will be uniquely positioned to utilize skills that are much needed in today’s changing health care system. This is a unique opportunity to partner with a top tier home health organization to prepare a workforce focused on delivering quality care through care coordination and teamwork,” said Zomorodi.

“We are tremendously excited about this partnership with Well Care Home Health, as it provides a new model for immersive education that is as practical as it is innovative,” said Donna Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, Interim Dean of the School of Nursing. “Our students gain on-the-ground experience and training with a dedicated eye toward assessing system strengths and areas for improvement. The genius of public-private partnerships like this one is that not only do the two institutions benefit, but patients in North Carolina are better served by our joint expertise on their behalf. It’s a win-win-win.”

“Well Care is proud and excited to partner with the UNC School of Nursing to found the Well Care Home Health Leadership Scholars Program. This collaborative venture unites a premier academic nursing program with a leading home health provider in order to provide a truly unique and progressive developmental experience for select nursing students. This exclusive program seeks to identify high performing and motivated students to deliver highly specialized scholastic experience along with real-world, practical experience that enables accelerated career development opportunities in the nursing profession. As home health and post-acute care increasingly become larger and more important components of the health ecosystem, Well Care is committed to driving positive change and excellent patient outcomes,” said Wayne Long, CEO of Well Care Home Health.

As part of the ongoing partnership, the UNC School of Nursing will provide special education sessions for Well Care Home Health staff each year.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing

The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has long been renowned for its academic programs, groundbreaking research and commitment to clinical and community service both local and global. It was established in 1950 in response to the overwhelming need for nurses in North Carolina and was the first nursing school in the state to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree (1950), a master’s degree in nursing (1955), continuing education for nurses (1964), a PhD in nursing (1989), and an accelerated bachelor’s degree option for second degree students (2001). For more information, visit: nursing.unc.edu.

Well Care Home Health

Well Care Home Health, headquartered in Wilmington, NC, has been recognized by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services as a 5-star Home Health agency for providing quality outcomes, only 2 out of 172 agencies received this distinction in the state of NC. Well Care has also received the distinction of Home Care Elite. OCS and Decision Health recognize Home Care Elite agencies as the top 25% of home health agencies in the nation.

School of Nursing Contact:
Kelly Kirby
Director of Communications
919.843.8566
kelly_kirby@unc.edu

Well Care Home Health Contact:
Wanda Coley, MBA
Chief Operating Officer
910 362 9405
wcoley@wellcarehealth.com