A Call to Action, Strategies for Dealing with the Nursing Shortage

The NLN releases annual report on 2005-2006 academic data review

2008-03-24T09:07:00.002-04:00

On March 3, 2008,The National League for Nursing released its annual Nursing Data Review of Academic Year 2005-06. The report states. "this year's is a decidedly good news/bad news report. It casts a wide lens on all types of pre-licensure nursing programs, including those offering diploma, associate and baccalaureate degrees, to determine rates of application, enrollment and graduation. The review also provides a comprehensive demographic profile of the current student population, documenting ethnic-racial identity, gender, and age." The report goes on to state, that on the positive side, "the survey shows a marked increase in the percentage of graduating pre-licensure students who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups, with the increase distributed across all racial and ethnic categories: Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians." "Because research increasingly links minority health disparities to a lack of cultural competence on the part of health care providers, who often differ from their patients with respect to racial-ethnic background, this is a promising finding," observed NLN CEO Beverly Malone, RN, PhD, FAAN.

"In addition, more men are finally electing to join the profession, according to the research. After falling off during the dot.com boom of the 1990s, the percentage of men graduating from basic RN programs has shown a small but steady growth trend for the past three years. In 2006, men represented just over 12.1 percent of nursing graduates."

The report cites a 5% rise in admissions across all RN programs, with the highest rate (20 percent) in baccalaureate degree programs. "More good news is that once students enroll in nursing programs, they tend to remain there and graduate to enter the workforce."

"Despite these encouraging signs, applications to RN programs fell a notable 8.7 percent in 2005-06, down from a peak in applications a year earlier. The drop is suspected to be the result of widespread awareness of the difficulty of gaining entry to nursing school, fueled by the continuing crippling shortage of nurse educators. By all indications, unmet demand for placement persists, with 88,000 qualified applications — one in three of all applications submitted — denied. Baccalaureate degree programs turned away 20 percent of its applications, while associate degree programs turned away 32.7 percent."

The entire report is available at: www.nln.org/research/datareview/executive_summary.pdf

Press Ganey Results of Recent Nurses’ Satisfaction Survey

2008-02-05T14:14:00.000-05:00

Press Ganey recently reported that one of the most important thing hospital leaders can do to enhance their relationship with nurses is simply to listen to them.
Press Ganey reported that the recent nursing satisfaction survey revealed that nurses who worked the day shift had higher satisfaction levels than nurses on other shifts.
Also reported was that nurses who worked 12-hour shifts had lower satisfaction with their jobs.

The Advisory Board noted that the Press Ganey survey also reported that nurses who had worked at an institution for less than two years had a satisfaction score of 66.9overall, and that number dropped to 62.9 among those employed between two and 10 years before rebounding to 64.9 among those with more than 10 years’ tenure.

In this age of nursing shortage, it was disconcerting to see that nurses’ overall “professional loyalty” scores dropped off when an institution's vacancy rate for RN's exceeded 8%. Discussions related to RN retention need to remain on the agendas of Nursing and HR leaders.

Meeting Senator Richard Moore

2007-12-31T13:54:00.000-05:00

Recently, my colleagues and I were privileged to meet and speak with Massachusetts Senator Richard Moore, D-Uxbridge. During our conversation with the Senator, his vast knowledge and commitment to quality healthcare became very evident. I was captivated by Senator Moore’s passion and interest in safe, quality healthcare in Massachusetts. Senator Moore has recently given testimony before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health in support of S. 1244, An Act to Promote the Nursing Profession and Promote Safe Patient Care. Senator Moore testified in support of his bill to promote the nursing profession and safe patient care. S. 1244, An Act to Promote the Nursing Profession and Promote Safe Patient Care, would strengthen the supply of nurses and nurse faculty through incentives for students and matching grants for hospitals. It will also require public accountability for developing and reporting staffing patterns for patient care. The bill will also provide a means to evaluate and report measures to improve the quality of patient care and ensure transparency in hospital nurse staffing.

More Great Information from the HR Advisory Group

2007-11-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

HR Advisory Group stated that the Wisconsin nurse residency program has boosted retention rates! "
To better prepare the region’s new nurses to practice, 40 Wisconsin hospitals have collaborated with Milwaukee-based Marquette University to develop a nurse residency program, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Through the Wisconsin Nurse Residency Program, which is funded by $2 million in federal grants, new nurses are paired with mentors who answer questions about daily work and help create professional development plans; the program also organizes monthly meetings for new nurses to receive specialized training and share experiences. Thus far, the program touts a retention rate of 90% for new nurses, compared with the 50% of novice nurses nationally who quit within their first two years. Some nursing supervisors, for instance, note that, after just one year on the job on the job, nurses in the program function at the level of second- or third-year nurses. Noting that hospitals spend approximately $65,000 to replace just one nurse, the program’s director states that the roughly $52,000 it costs to annually operate the residency program for 10 nurses can be recouped if it prevents just one in 10 nurses from quitting (Dresang, Sentinel, 10/14/07). For more information about how hospitals can develop nurse residency programs, Nursing Executive Center members can see the 2006 practice brief, Transitioning New Graduates to Hospital Practice: Profiles of Nurse Residency Program Exemplars. "

Recommendations from the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International

2007-10-16T20:28:00.000-04:00

The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International has noted that the nursing shortage is a major threat to the future of the world's health care system. They have recommended the steps listed below as a possible means to reverse the trend:

Demonstrate to health care leaders that nurses are the critical difference in America's health system.
Reposition nursing as a highly versatile profession where young people can learn science and technology, customer service, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
Construct practice environments that are interdisciplinary and build on relationships among nurses, physicians, other health care professionals, patients and communities.
Create patient care models that encourage professional nurse autonomy and clinical decision-making.
Develop additional evaluation systems that measure the relationship of timely nursing interventions to patient outcomes.
Establish additional standards and mechanisms for recognition of professional practice environments.
Develop career enhancement incentives for nurses to pursue professional practice.
Evaluate the effects of the nursing shortage on the preparation of the next generation of nurse educators, nurse administrators and nurse researchers and take strategic action.
Implement and sustain a marketing effort that addresses the image of nursing and the recruitment of qualified students into nursing as a career.
Promote higher education to nurses of all educational levels.
Develop and implement strategies to promote the retention of RNs and nurse educators in the workforce.

Thank you for this great information! We need to continue to share ideas and strategies as professionals and to educate the public on the value of the nursing profession.
More great information can be found on the web site (This site is also available in many other languages.) http://www.nursingsociety.org/Media/Pages/shortage.aspx

Information from the HR Advisory Group

2007-09-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

Efforts to address nursing faculty shortage through legislation, grants intensify
07/25/2007
Even as new reports continue to raise concern over the nursing faculty shortage, both national and local efforts to expand the teaching pool have mounted. Three bills currently before Congress would put millions of dollars toward faculty recruitment and training, while state governments and health care providers increasingly are offering grants to back new nursing programs and pursuing innovative solutions to the faculty deficit.Among the more recent reports measuring the effect of the faculty shortage was a brief released last week by the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) that surveyed CEOs at 31 academic institutions nationwide and concluded that faculty shortages have prompted program and enrollment cuts. Similarly, a report released by PriceWaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute this month revisits how the faculty shortage hampers training capacity, finding that while nursing enrollments have increased at double-digit rates since 2003, the number of qualified applicants turned away has grown even faster.

To some extent, the faculty shortage is traditionally ascribed to changing demographics and somewhat unfavorable conditions for nurse educators; the AAHC report cites retirement among baby boomers, heavy faculty workloads, salary disparities between academic and private practice positions, and waning interest in academic careers among students entering health professions. Yet an oft-overlooked driver of the shortage is that public nursing schools have limited financial incentive to expand their nursing programs. According to the acting provost of one Virginia community college, the school “lose[s] $8,000 per year for every nurse” it trains; as public colleges’ tuition rates are set by the state, many schools are unable to raise student fees to cover these higher costs and instead incur significant losses. For example, North Carolina community colleges—which provide the state with nearly one-half of its RNs and more than 80% of its LPNs—say that they annually lose $30 million in training nurses. As a result, many administrators are calling for increased subsidization of nurse educational programs (PwC report, July 2007; Simmons, Raleigh News & Observer, 6/16/07).
Pending federal spending bills could boost funding for nurse education…
While Congress has touched on the faculty shortage before, such as by amending last year’s defense appropriations bill with a $500,000 measure designed to encourage former military nurses to become faculty in nursing schools, several new pieces of legislation offer far greater scope and funding, should they be approved. For example, the Senate Appropriations Committee last month approved the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education 2008 spending bill, which would earmark $169 million for nursing programs, a $20 million increase over last year’s allocation, and would support new initiatives to boost faculty numbers, such as $1 million for the University of Maryland-Baltimore to establish a Nursing Institute dedicated to training nurse educators. The bill currently awaits the full vote of the Senate (Schultz, Baltimore Business Journal, 6/22/07; House website, accessed 7/17/07). Two other bills proposed last month also hold promise to address faculty shortage concerns. In the Senate, Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced the Nursing Education and Quality of Health Care Act of 2007, which would establish grants and programs to improve nurse training, recruitment, and retention in rural areas. The bill—endorsed by the American Nurses Association, the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, according to a release from Sen. Clinton’s office—also would fund demonstration projects that integrate patient safety practices into nursing education and bolster nurse leadership in hospital-based patient safety initiatives. Meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) proposed the America’s Partnership for Nursing Education Act of 2007, which would allocate $20 million annually during fiscal years 2008 through 2012 and grant eligible states a minimum of $2 million annually to increase capacity in nursing education programs. To qualify, states must have federal data projecting both a population increase of more than 50% between 1990 and 2025 and fewer than 555 employed RNs per 100,000 residents by 2020, in addition to sponsoring other programs to increase the number of nursing faculty (AHA News Now, 6/13/07; 7/9/07; Clinton release, 6/13/07; Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association release, 7/3/07; GovTrack, accessed 7/17/07).
…but states, hospitals backing new initiatives in the interim
However, some experts are pessimistic that either act will be passed, noting that similar legislation was proposed during the previous session of Congress and failed to progress to a vote. Instead, they note that rather than wait on uncertain federal funds and a national solution, states and local health care providers instead have taken the lead on addressing the faculty shortage, spawning a “patchwork” variety of new initiatives (Watch interview, 7/18/07).

For their part, many states are seeking evidence that their grants will offer instant relief for nurse training shortfalls, such as a $1.23 million state grant made this week to Arizona Western College in Yuma; the funds will be used to hire 10 nursing faculty members, acquire new lab supplies, and introduce Web-based virtual training components—measures that immediately will increase enrollment from 80 to 96 students. Similarly, many hospitals and health care systems are recognizing the potential downstream staffing benefits of underwriting nurse faculty efforts. For example, the University of South Carolina last month received a $1 million grant from nearby Piedmont Medical Center; the grant will allow USC to fund new faculty positions and nearly double enrollment in the school’s BSN program. Meanwhile, USC nursing students will have the opportunity to participate in clinical rotations at Piedmont, better positioning that facility to hire the new nurses upon graduation (Reynolds, Yuma Sun, 7/17/07; Clay, Rock Hill Herald, 6/28/07).

Retaining the New Graduate RN

2007-09-03T08:23:00.000-04:00

In the September issue of the American Journal of Nursing, an article on retaining newly licensed RN's stated that, "while the majority of newly licensed registered nurses (RNs) were “generally pleased” with their jobs, the 13% who left their positions within the first year of employment most often cited poor management and stressful working conditions as the top reasons for their departure". These findings, the researchers say could help guide hospitals in their efforts to improve retention rates. The researchers from New York University and the University of Buffalo analyzed survey data from a random sample of 3,266 RNs in 35 states and the District of Columbia who had passed the licensing exam within the past 18 months and had obtained their license between Aug. 1, 2004, and July 31, 2005. The researchers found that newly licensed RNs reported a mean job satisfaction score of 5.2 out of a possible 7 points, although more than 41% said they would want another position if they were “free to go into any type of job.” In addition, nearly one-fourth of respondents said they planned to switch jobs within two years of accepting their first position, and 37% said they planned to seek a new role within one year—statistics the researchers say are “alarming” and indicate that newly licensed RNs are “not finding what they want in the first year of work.” The researchers add that RNs whose first professional degree was an associate’s degree appeared to be more likely than those with a bachelor’s degree to say they intended to leave their current role.Further highlighting the work conditions that may contribute to nurse turnover, more than half of respondents said they had worked voluntary overtime, and nearly 13% said they had worked mandatory overtime. More than 60%, meanwhile, said they had worked night or evening shifts, while roughly one-fourth said they had sustained at least one needle-stick injury across the last year, and more than 60% reported experiencing on-the-job verbal abuse. One of the study authors says the findings indicate that “the work environment for newly licensed RNs has both positive and negative aspects.” Noting that their future research will aim to develop predictive models of newly licensed RNs’ turnover rates, the researchers conclude that hospitals should invest in “better orientation and management of newly licensed RNs” in an effort to ensure long-term retention (Kovner et al., American Journal of Nursing, September 2007; American Journal of Nursing release, 8/29; University of Buffalo release, 8/29).

Back from vacation with a renewed mission.

2007-08-16T19:29:00.000-04:00

I returned to work this week feeling rested after my time off. Unfortunately, the rested feeling was short lived. The hospital was extremely busy with a large volume of acutely ill patients. Although the nursing staff was tired and stressed, they continue to provide superb care to our patients. I am always humbled when I watch the Infirmary's nurses deliver patient care in such a kind, compassionate, and professional manner. Summer vacation time on the nursing units always seems to bring to light staffing issues especially now in this time of a growing nursing shortage. I have renewed my dedication to researching, developing, and sharing strategies to effectively deal with the nursing shortage. I have started to read, From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know And Must Communicate to the Public, by Bernice Buresh and Suzanne Gordon and I feel even more committed to our wonderful profession of nursing.

Vacation!!

2007-08-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

Well, it is vacation for me! The past week was very busy and staffing was a daily challenge. As I think about the future and the increasing nursing shortage, it really worries me. I will continue my quest to search for information on the nursing shortage and to share more strategies to effectively deal with the shortage. But for now, I am looking forward to some quiet, relaxing time with my family in the mountains of Vermont.

Thursday August 2, 2007 was the first anniversary of Paul Levy's Running a Hospital Blog, congratulations to him. He shares wonderful information on his blog and if you haven't checked it out, I encourage you to do so.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center's Department of Nursing Utilizes Patient Simulation Training

2007-08-02T08:53:00.000-04:00

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center's Department of Nursing has incorporated Patient Simulation Training into their nurse residency program. There is evidence that simulation training programs are effective in improving practitioner performance and confidence as well as improving clinical skills. As we continue to search for ways to recruit and retain nurses, this approach to education is well worth the investment. Kudos to Dartmouth- Hitchcock's Department of Nursing. Read more about it in the link blow.

http://www.dhmc.org/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&org_id=152&gsec_id=42639&sec_id=42640&item_id=42653

University of Maryland School of Nursing and Army Nurse Corps Partner to Address Nurse Faculty Shortage

2007-07-26T16:11:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot in the news recently related to the nursing shortage specifically the nursing faculty shortage. Here is a positive, innovative idea from the University of Maryland.
http://nursing.umaryland.edu/news/2007/6-18.htm

Nursing Faculty Shortage Addressed

2007-07-20T13:13:00.000-04:00

This is excellent information on the effort to address the nursing faculty shortage. http://www.advisory.com/members/default.asp?contentid=67672&program=4&collectionid=30&eprefid=4

More Positive Work Environment News!

2007-07-17T12:07:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Hutt Hospital in New Zealand.

Last month Hutt Hospital became New Zealand's first hospital to receive ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® designation, and only the second organization outside the United States to ever receive the award. Since the start of its journey toward designation in 2002, Hutt Hospital, situated in the capital city of Wellington, has strengthened its nursing leadership, developed a framework for ethical decision-making, increased opportunities for professional development, and focused on patient-care services and nursing turnover rates. According to Hutt Hospital's Director of Nursing Toni Dal Din, the whole organization had to be committed to top quality patient care to be awarded ANCC Magnet Recognition®.

Source: Petone Herald [New Zealand]

Great News from Massachusetts!

2007-07-16T13:24:00.000-04:00

Massachusetts Governor Patrick approves the BHE Nursing Initiative Funding--Signs State Budget Into Law
Date: July 16, 2007
Governor Patrick signed the Fiscal Year 2008 budget into law and approved the full $3.475 million funding for the Board of Higher Education (BHE) with the $1 million funding designated for the Nursing Initiative. The Governor did veto $41 million worth of funding in over 70 line items so it is indeed great news and a credit to MONE's (Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives) continued advocacy that the BHE funding was spared from the veto/reduction list. The Legislature and the Governor increased the funding for the BHE Nursing Initiative from the current $500,000 to $1 million for Fiscal Year 2008 which began on July 1, 2007. This increased funding is essential for the Nursing Workforce Development Initiative to expand their statewide and regional programs to address the nursing shortage and increase the capacity and quality of the nursing education pipeline. MONE was pleased to partner with MHA (Massachusetts Hospital Association) and the Board of Higher Education in advocating for this essential nursing initiative funding. Much work remains and MONE hopes to assist the BHE in securing more substantial budget increases in Fiscal Year 2009 to support the unprecedented nursing initiative.

Another great article on the "State of the Nursing Workforce"

2007-07-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

State of the Registered Nurse Workforce in the United States from Nursing Economics by
Peter I. Buerhaus; Karen Donelan; Beth T. Ulrich; Linda Norman; Robert Dittus is a comprehensive look into the issues that surround the nursing shortage. The authors did an excellent job in highlighting issues and the tables in section 2, " Aging of the RN Workforce" list excellent strategies. Take a look, it is time well spent. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/525650

Good information from the American Hospital Association

2007-07-10T16:09:00.000-04:00

This article, “The 2007 State of America’s Hospitals: Taking the Pulse, Findings from the 2007 AHA Survey of Hospital Leaders, highlights the nursing and health care provider shortage. This is an excellent presentation and is listed under Featured Report.
http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsArticle/data/AHA_News_070709_Telling_hosp_story&domain=AHANEWS

Technorati.com

2007-07-06T07:37:00.000-04:00

I have claimed my blog on Technorati...easy to do.

Professor climbing Mt. Everest to highlight nursing shortage!

2007-07-05T22:28:00.000-04:00

Wow!
From Health Care Advisory Board, Nursing Executive Watch.....Recruitment and Retention

Patrick Hickey, a 52-year-old professor at the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing, this month is embarking on a journey to climb Mt. Everest to raise awareness of the U.S. nursing shortage, USA Today reports. Since 2001, Hickey—who is an RN—has climbed six of the world’s seven highest summits. As part of his quest to conquer the seventh peak, Hickey is trying to raise $29,035—or $1 for every foot of Mt. Everest he climbs—to support his institution’s Summit Scholarship Program for nursing students. Commenting on his mission, Hickey says that he “cannot imagine a world without nurses,” adding that he is “climbing to the top of the world in honor of the profession that has meant so much to [him] and gives so much to others” (Fackelmann, USA Today, 3/26/07; University of South Carolina website).

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T10:52:00.000-04:00

I am taking a break today to enjoy the holiday with my family and friends. Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!

More strategies to deal with the nursing shortage

2007-07-03T23:04:00.000-04:00

The article "Strategies to overcome nursing shortages influence credit ratings" is very interesting and enlightening. Richard Maki, VP of Nursing and CNO at Anna Jaques Hospital, is mentioned for his innovative strategies in dealing with the nursing shortage. Richard is a former colleague and I applaud his efforts and his innovation.
http://www.advisory.com/members/default.asp?contentid=65708&collectionid=706&program=12

Nursing Management Magazine survey information

2007-07-02T21:05:00.000-04:00

Nursing Management conducted a survey on the aging nursing work force. This survey was conducted in partnership with the Bernard Hodes Group and the attached article highlights some of the interesting finding. Of note is that many nurses and nurse managers are planning to retire as soon as 2011, only 4 years away. Log on and read more at:
http://www.amnhealthcare.com/News.aspx?id=15444

AACN Fact Sheets on the Nursing Shortage and the aging Nursing Workforce

2007-06-30T09:55:00.000-04:00

The baby boom generation, all 78 million of us, are aging. The health care system will become increasingly strained from the resources needed by the baby boomers. Aging right along with the baby boomers are many nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has a fact sheet and strategies for deal with the nursing shortage and the aging nursing workforce that is excellent. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/NursingShortage.htm

Informative site

2007-06-29T14:49:00.000-04:00

This site was a very nice surprise, excellent information. Kathy Quan RN, BSN PHN has over 30 years experience in nursing. In addition to being a nurse, she is a webmaster, freelance writer, desktop publisher and a researcher. Visit the site, her article references Dr. Peter Buerhaus, RN, the Valere Potter Professor of Nursing and Senior Associate Dean for Research at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Dr. Buerhaus is a noted author and expert on the aging nursing workforce and the nursing shortage. He has written extensively on the subject as well as trends in the nursing labor market.
http://nursing.about.com/od/nursingshortage/a/RNsVSCEOS.htm

The Magnet Recognition Program

2007-06-28T16:33:00.000-04:00

As health care institutions develop strategies to recruit and retain nurses, organizations should adopt the best practices of hospitals successful in recruiting and retaining RN's.

The Joint Commission reports in, “Health Care at the Crossroads” that:
The characteristics of some of these winning hospitals-called magnet hospitals- were first studied in 1983 through a project sponsored by the American Academy of Nursing. That original research and subsequent studies have shown that the nurses working in these magnet hospitals had strong support from the leadership of the organization.

For more information on the Magnet Recognition Program log on to:
http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc/magnet/index.html

Attracting more men into the Nursing Profession.

2007-06-27T14:45:00.000-04:00

This video says it better than I ever could hope to........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o4yYwU2sE8

Thoughts on strategies and best practices for retention

2007-06-26T15:50:00.000-04:00

In the report, “Wisdom at Work: The Importance of the Older and Experienced Nurse in the Workplace” Hatcher et al.,(2006) stated that “ the case for immediate implementation of strategies to increase the retention of the older nurse applies to employers as well as to national policy-makers.” As we search for strategic initiatives and “best practices” that offer promise in retaining and recruiting nurses to the nursing profession, thought should be given to:

Improving the work environment, specifically ergonomics and workplace design
Technology improvements that reduce documentation time and medical errors
Compensation improvements, including premium differentials for off- shifts and week-ends
Improving the culture of staff and patient safety
Adopting a zero tolerance policy for abusive behavior in the heathcare workplace
Improvements to staff development and education, including tuition reimbursement and on-site higher education
Minimize paperwork burden
Improvements to staffing effectiveness models
Nurse leader training in retention management
More attention to ancillary staff to perform non-nursing duties
Limitations on mandatory overtime
Flexibility in schedules and shifts

What a great site!

2007-06-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

Johnson and Johnson's The Campaign for Nursing's Future has a wonderful website loaded with information check it out@ http://www.discovernursing.com/

A Case for Nurse Residency Programs.

2007-06-24T20:27:00.000-04:00

As we move into the next decade, it will be imperative to mentor and support the novice nurse. This article in Hospitals & Health Networks builds a case for nursing residency programs. The article states, "Nurse residency programs are part classroom teaching and part support group, and last longer than the usual hospital orientation. And while they can be costly—at least one hospital spends nearly $22,000 per nurse—nurse executives say the results more than justify the expense: reduced turnover, more proficient nurses, enhanced critical thinking. " The article can be accessed at:

http://http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcrpath=HHNMAG/Article/data/06JUN2007/0706HHN_FEA_Staffing&domain=HHNMAG

Another good link from Advisory.com

2007-06-23T22:08:00.000-04:00

Reversing the Flight of Talent Nursing Retention in an Era of Gathering Shortage
This publication examines hospitals’ growing challenge in retaining nurses at a time of increasing labor shortage and declining nurse satisfaction and morale. The presentation provides a comprehensive strategy for minimizing the risk of departures and achieving lasting nurse loyalty, with tactics for implementation
http://www.advisory.com/members/default.asp?contentid=40204&collectionid=1032&program=29&contentarea=397083#5

More information on health care

2007-06-22T13:37:00.000-04:00

I found this blog very interesting.
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:PqSdiRStovMJ:www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2004/09/quality_betsy_l.html+Betsy+Lehman+patient+Safety&hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

Of interest in the media," Georgia educators expand nursing school capacity"

2007-06-21T20:01:00.000-04:00

In a recent edition of The Healthcare Advisory Board, Nursing Executive Watch there was encouraging news!
http://www.advisory.com/members/default.asp?collectionid=39&program=1
Georgia nursing education leaders are working to expand the region’s pool of qualified nurses by increasing state universities’ training capacity, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The state Board of Regents recently approved $42.5 million in state bonds to help support construction of a new health sciences facility at Kennesaw State University. The $60 million building will increase the nursing school’s capacity by roughly 40 percent, or at least 80 students per year, when it opens for the 2009-2010 school year. Georgia State University officials, meanwhile, plan to launch alternative nursing education programs, including Web-based curricula, to expand enrollment by 20 students per year beginning this fall. The expansion will continue through late 2009, when officials expect to complete construction on a dedicated nursing lab and classroom facility. To further boost the nursing workforce, the dean of Medical College of Georgia’s nursing school is chairing a task force charged with developing strategies for encouraging collaboration among schools. The group ultimately hopes to increase the number of nurses graduating from the state university system by 50 percent over three years. Finally, the state’s education budget includes $3 million in grants to support other projects designed to stem the region’s nursing shortage (Duffy, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/4/07).

Important questions that must be examined and addressed

2007-06-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

The nursing shortage and the aging nursing workforce will continue to present a challenge to nursing and health care administrators well into the next decade so a call to action is not only important, it is imperative. The federal agency, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates that by 2020, there will be a shortage of more than 800,000 registered nurses nationwide.

As a nursing leader, there is an obligation to address the impact of the nursing shortage and the aging nursing population at our own institution.
Important questions that we must carefully examine and address:
- Will there be enough nurses at the bedside to provide safe, quality care?
- Will the aging nursing workforce and the nursing shortage impact the delivery of health care at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary?
- What will be the impact of the nursing shortage and aging nurse to the Boston area medical community?
- How will we assess the competencies of the older nurses?
- What will be the impact of the nursing shortage and the aging nursing workforce on the operational budgets of our hospitals and the economy?

Is the current nursing shortage different?

2007-06-19T20:25:00.000-04:00

The public has always relied on nurses to be on the front lines in the health care system. But now through technology and the media, the public has become more aware of the impending nursing shortage. Local and federal governments have become involved in discussions related to the nursing shortage, as have agencies such as the Joint Commission http://www.jointcommission.org/PublicPolicy/nurse_staffing.htm
the Institute of Medicine, and the Department of Health and Human Services http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/nursing.htm
Historically, nursing shortages have been short lived and cyclical, but the current shortage is different and is expected to grow larger into the next decade and beyond.

My new world of blogging

2007-06-18T21:45:00.000-04:00

Well, I have entered day two of my new blogging life. I faithfully read the daily blog of Paul Levy, http://runningahospital.blogspot.com/, and find his blog interesting and thought provoking. I am captivated by this new found technology genre and have spent hours this evening reading other blogs when I should have been preparing dinner. Well, back to the subject at hand, the nursing shortage and the aging nursing population. I welcome any and all thoughts, observations, comments, and/or ideas on how we can deal with this impending crisis. I worry about preserving this important profession and wonder what it will be like to practice nursing in the next decade.

Welcome

2007-06-17T13:59:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog!

This blog is dedicated to sharing strategies to effectively deal with the nursing shortage now and in the future. Your ideas and comments are welcome and encouraged. The literature suggests that by the year 2020 there will be 600,000 to 800,000 vacant nursing positions in the United States.