One of a Kind: The Independence Blue Cross Foundation Nursing Internship Program

In the summer of 2017, my colleague at the Leadership Center for Nursing Education Research, Dr. Susan Mills, and I conducted an in-depth program evaluation of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation (IBC Foundation) Nursing Internship Program. This evaluation involved extensive direct observations of program activities and interviews with the interns, their supervisors, and IBC Foundation staff,...
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Foundation President Marshall-Blake honored by Urban Affairs Coalition

In the photo with Lorina are Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President and CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition, and Ernest  E. Jones, for whom the award is named. The Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC) honored Independence Blue Cross Foundation President Lorina Marshall-Blake at its annual Networking Breakfast on November 17 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. ...
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Independence Blue Cross Foundation announces grants supporting community health and well-being

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation (Foundation) announced grants more than $2.75 million through its Blue Safety Net and Building Healthier Communities programs. The grants are aimed at population health and strengthening the delivery of health care.

Blue Safety Net

Through the Blue Safety Net program, the Foundation funds private, nonprofit health centers that provide affordable access to quality care in underserved areas....
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A Look Inside the Work of 3 Nurse Researchers

nurse researchers
From left to right, the second cohort of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars, funded by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation: Michelle McKay, MSN, RN, CCRN; Christine Bader, MS, BSN, RN; Brittany Koons, MSN, RN. When most people think of nursing, they think of the individuals caring for patients at bedside in the hospital....
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Nurse interns expand their horizons at Independence Blue Cross

When Ashley Walsh, a nursing student at Temple University, began seeking a summer internship, a health insurance company wasn’t the first place that occurred to her. But with an open mind, she applied for a position at Independence Blue Cross (Independence) through the Independence Blue Cross Foundation’s (Foundation) Nursing Internship Program. During her interview, Ashley learned that she wouldn’t be wearing scrubs or interacting with patients at bedside,...
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IBC Foundation supports vision training for Philadelphia school nurses

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation, in cooperation with the Eagles Charitable Foundation, supported vision screening professional development for more than 250 Philadelphia school nurses to ensure they are properly trained and certified to administer vision screenings. The all-day event, held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, provided nurses with extensive, in-depth training to certify them as vision screeners....
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National Nurses Week 2017: Focusing on the Selfless Work of Nurses

National Nurses Week
“Bound by paperwork, short on hands, sleep, and energy…nurses are rarely short on caring.” — Sharon Hudacek, EdD, RN, ACNS-BC Nurses are arguably the hardest working individuals, coordinating and providing patient care in fast-paced shifts that often exceed twelve hours and don’t provide much down time. Yet their innate sense of compassion allows them to put aside their needs to ensure that patient care comes first....
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First Cohort of Future of Nursing Scholars Set to Transform Health Care

From left to right, the first cohort of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars, funded by the Independence Blue Cross Foundation: Stephen Perez, RN, MS, NP; Liz Novack, RN, BSN; Faith Atte, RN, MSN. How can health policy decisions affect infectious disease outcomes and patient safety in health systems? How much can nurses improve the overall health of women who have experienced intimate partner violence using a trauma-informed approach to care?...
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Launching the Nation’s Third Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

Imagine you’ve just graduated from medical school and are working as a physician in your community. The waiting room in your office is packed with patients, many of whom have complex chronic conditions. Suddenly, a nurse informs you that three patients are presenting with severe stomach pain and require immediate attention. Could one of the cases require a hospital visit?...
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Health Care Leaders Convene in Philadelphia to Discuss Recommended Actions to Solve Nation’s Deepening Primary Care Crisis

Practice models featuring enhanced role for registered nurses offer promise toward meeting nation’s urgent need for a transformed primary care system

Philadelphia, PA – Mounting pressures, including more than 50 percent of Americans with a chronic condition and many with multiple illnesses, are rendering the nation’s primary care system inadequate to meet the population’s needs....
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