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BUCKHANNON -- A charitable foundation is providing funding that will be used to train local nurses.
The Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon is contributing $15,000 to the West Virginia University School of Nursing to support community engagement work in Barbour County.
The funding, part of a 2023-24 Healthy Communities Initiative, will be used to support nurse-led initiatives to develop "access to care points" within faith community settings in Barbour County.
"The access to care points are developed within faith community settings that are close to home for many rural West Virginians," said Dr. Angel Smothers, Associate Dean for Community Engagement.
"Community members can receive health education, screening and support by a trained faith community nurse."
Smothers said the School of Nursing has been training faith community nurses for seven years, having trained more than 100 nurses to this point.
"We are looking forward to working with the WVU School of Nursing on this project," said Sarah Campbell, Health Program Officer with the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon.
"These nurses will provide holistic healthcare services to faith communities in Barbour County and will become advocates for patients, connecting them to other resources in the community and guiding their care," Campbell said.
The funding will allow the School of Nursing to train two nurses from Barbour County and support them as they build access to nurse-led care.
If you are a Barbour County nurse who is interested in receiving the training at no cost, please contact Dr. Angel Smothers at asmothers@hsc.wvu.edu.
In 2016, the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, Queen of Apostles Province, announced the creation of the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon, using the proceeds from the $7.5 million transfer of St. Joseph's Hospital from the Sisters to West Virginia Health System/United Health Corporation.
The foundation serves healthcare-related needs of the communities in Barbour, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur and Webster counties through its annual grant-award process.
To learn more about the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon, visit www.pallottinebuckhannon.org.