About Linfield

Cultural competence: Linfield secures OCN grant

Linfield, in partnership with Washington State University-Vancouver, recently received one of seven mini-grants from the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN). The grant is part of the Oregon Community Foundation for the Nurturing Cultural Competence in Nursing program.

Barbara May, professor of nursing, will lead the joint project with WSU to develop research-based cultural competence scoring systems for baccalaureate and graduate nursing students. The goal of the project is to define scoring systems, or rubrics, that will inform faculty of student progress with cultural competency programs and improve those programs as needed.

The program is part of a unique national initiative, Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future, to address the shortage of nurses through developing strategies to create and sustain a viable nursing workforce, especially from diverse populations.