A unique educational clinical experience for an undergraduate nursing student has been created in the School of Nursing by faculty members Max Veltman and Karen Godard with a generous donation from Theresa and Norm James from Spokane, Wash. Veltman and Godard have developed the Foster Care Student Nurse Fellowship, an immersion experience involving clinical educational experiences and a scholarly/service project centered around the health assessment and health promotion activities occurring at the Nampa Family Justice Center.
The Nampa Family Justice Center is a partnership of agencies dedicated to ending family violence and sexual assault through prevention and response by providing comprehensive, client-centered services in a single location. Clients now have the opportunity to reach needed resources in one centralized location. Advocates, counselors, clergy, legal aid, medical providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors are some of the many service providers located at the Nampa Family Justice Center.
Students are eligible to apply for the fellowship during their sixth semester but will participate during their seventh and eighth semesters. Applicants will be well screened  through an application process that involves a review of their academic records, a short essay, a plan of what they hope to accomplish during and after the fellowship, a personal interview, and, ultimately, a background check by the Nampa Police Department.
The selected applicant will complete approximately 90 hours of clinical time, in addition to the regular coursework and will produce and present their work at a national conference. The specific schedule, exact details of the immersion, and the scholarly project will be planned and implemented with input from coordinating faculty. The majority of the objectives of the experience will be accomplished with little direct supervision from faculty. The student fellow will be able to work independently with little supervision and guidance; work with multiple members of different agencies including law enforcement, legal, and social work agencies involved in child welfare systems; and work in challenging social situations in non-traditional health care environments.
Working in conjunction with Idaho Health and Welfare, Child Protective Services Division, Veltman and Godard have taken junior level nursing students to the Nampa Family Justice Center for clinical experiences caring for the health needs of children in foster care since 2009. Â The center welcomes students and is willing to assist them with learning objectives from other colleges within Boise State University, including the School of Social Work and the Department of Criminal Justice. The experience has been rewarding for the Boise State students as well.