Cincinnati Children's LEND Program opens doors for UC graduate nursing students

University of Cincinnati College of Nursing graduate students have a unique educational opportunity just steps away.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital is home to one of the first and most established Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) programs, a nationally recognized, federally funded initiative. The local program partners with University of Cincinnati (UC) and brings together resources of both institutions toward a shared goal: preparing future healthcare leaders to provide evidence-based, compassionate care to children and adults with neurodevelopmental and related disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, spina bifida, Rett syndrome, and more.

Every nurse will eventually care for patients with developmental disabilities - yet few are truly prepared to do so. LEND is built to close that gap, immersing UC graduate nursing students in a yearlong experience alongside clinicians, self-advocates, and family members with lived experience.

"I always felt there was such a gap for this patient population," says Saoirse Schworer, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, the program's nursing faculty lead. "No matter what kind of healthcare specialty you're heading into, you're always going to come across patients who may have developmental needs."

Spanning the full academic year and totaling more than 300 hours of instruction, the experience is organized around five core components: leadership development, evidence-based methods seminars, a core course in social determinants of health and policy advocacy, hands-on clinical rotations through Cincinnati Children's subspecialty clinics, and team-based training in collaborative, family-centered care. That last component is perhaps the program's most distinctive feature - trainees from across clinical and allied health disciplines work alongside self-advocates and family members with lived experience to conduct comprehensive evaluations for Cincinnati Children's Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP) patients, gaining firsthand experience in coordinated care while addressing a critical community need.

The opportunity carries real practical value for UC nursing students as well. The program offers a stipend, a rich clinical experience, and precepted hours that count toward degree requirements, including the pediatric specialty hours required for FNP students.

Is LEND right for you?

The program accepts a small cohort of graduate nursing students each academic year - typically up to two nursing trainees - making it a competitive but highly personalized experience. Ideal candidates are graduate-level nursing students who have demonstrated interest in working with individuals with disabilities and their families and who see themselves as future leaders in clinical practice, advocacy, research, or policy.

Students who participate graduate with a deeper clinical knowledge base, stronger leadership and advocacy skills, and a professional network that spans more than 12 disciplines.

"No matter where you are: anesthesia, cardiology, GI, these patients are there," says Lindsay Davis, DNP, APRN-CNP, the college's assistant dean for APRN curriculum. "Having knowledge about this patient population provides insight for comprehensive and compassionate care."

For more information or to explore applying, visit ucucedd.org/lend. For questions, please contact [email protected].

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