Kentucky Health News reporter gets fellowship to report on rural health workforce issues, with a focus on nurses

Melissa Patrick

Melissa Patrick, reporter for Kentucky Health News, has been named 2016-2017 Nursing and Health Care Workforce Media Fellow for the Center for Health, Media & Policy.

Patrick, a former nurse, will focus on rural health issues that affect nurses and other health care providers within the evolving health care delivery system during her eight-month fellowship.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Melissa as this year’s media fellow. She is strongly committed to raising awareness about the role of nurses and other health care workers in the current and future health care system” Diana Mason, co-founder of CHMP, said in a news release.“This fellowship provides an opportunity to work with some of the top health journalists and nursing workforce experts, hone reporting and production skills, engage in cross-platform reporting, and contribute to the national conversation about health care delivery challenges in the years ahead.”

Patrick’s main project will take a multi-part look into a shortage of school nurses throughout the state, a shortage of nurses to serve rural areas, the role of advance practice nurses in meeting some of Kentucky’s health needs and state policy issues impacting nurses.

The fellowship is supported by a grant from the Johnson & Johnson Foundation.