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New Legislation Encourages Nurses to Teach

As the nation continues to face an aging nursing workforce coupled with an upsurge in the need for skilled nurses, an increased interest in nursing will prove to be insufficient in alleviating the nursing shortage. In addition, students are increasingly being turned away from nursing schools due to a lack of faculty.

This year alone, an estimated 1,390 budgeted, full-time nurse faculty positions are vacant at nursing schools across the country, up 32 percent since 2002 in baccalaureate and advanced degree programs, according to the National League for Nursing. In response, legislative efforts are ramping up nationwide to help counteract the effects of the ever-growing nursing faculty shortage.

In July, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesan signed an important piece of legislation that will allow graduate nursing students the opportunity to earn a 25 percent credit toward their school loans for each year they spend teaching full-time in a Tennessee nursing school.

"This is an important step along the path leading to increasing the supply of nurses in Tennessee," said Peter Buerhaus, senior associate dean of Research at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Valere Potter Professor. "We will need an increase of thousands of nurses in the future to avoid the shortages that have been predicted to develop in the next decade."

On Capitol Hill, the Senate has created a pilot program called "Troops to Nurse Teachers" to encourage military nurses to become nursing educators following their service. The Senate has agreed to allot $500,000 for teaching incentives that would provide transition assistance and scholarships for separating nurses who agree to teach.

Under the plan-sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin D-Ill.- military nurses or other medical personnel who attend an accredited nursing school for the purposes of becoming a teacher would receive a scholarship of up to $30,000 a year and have to agree to teach for three years after graduation.

"Such progressive measures are vital in helping to mitigate a threatening scarcity of faculty in nursing schools, and ultimately assure patients, including an aging population, quality care provided by qualified nurses," said Andrea Higham, director of The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future.

To learn more about the new Tennessee law (Senate Bill 0047), visit tennesseeanytime.org. For more information on the Troops to Nurse Teachers program, visit durbin.senate.gov.

Fundraising Gala to Honor Nurses and Raise Funds for Louisiana

Following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita throughout much of the Gulf Coast last year, nurses practicing in the region went above and beyond the call of duty, providing continuous health care to people affected by these tragic events. Nearly a year later, these dedicated professionals are still struggling to provide quality health care while managing through the effects of the nursing shortage, now even more severe in this region. A recent USA Today article highlights the continuing need for health care professionals, including nurses, in the area.

As a tribute to these nurses and their tireless efforts, and to raise money for nursing in Louisiana, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, along with the Louisiana State Nurses' Association, will host a special Promise of Nursing for Louisiana gala on Wednesday, November 8 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. Unlike previous galas, the event offers an opportunity for companies, organizations, and individuals outside the region to sponsor a local nurse to attend the celebration. Sponsorships are available for $400 per seat.

In addition, all monies raised at the gala will stay in Louisiana to fund nursing student scholarships, faculty fellowships and nursing school grants. Since 2002, the Promise of Nursing galas have raised more than $9 million to support nursing school programs in regions where the shortage is most acute. Sponsorship deadline is October 1, 2006. For more information, contact Lorie Kraynak at 732-524-1716 or loriek@corus.jnj.com.

Nurses Key to Reducing Heart Failure in Minority Communities

Nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure--a serious condition that can lead to difficulty breathing and walking, and sometimes an early death. Now, a new study shows that for many of these patients, routine follow-up care by a nurse led to fewer hospitalizations. Researches at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, studied heart failure patients in African-American and Hispanic communities who received routine follow-up by a nurse after physician visits versus those who did not receive follow-up nurse care.

"Heart failure is very serious, but patients can play a critical role in managing the condition and improving the quality of their lives," said Jane Sisk, Ph.D., Professor of Health Policy at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Director of the Division of Health Care Statistics at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, and lead author of this study. "This study has shown that with routine counseling and encouragement from a nurse, patients can perform everyday activities better and have fewer hospitalizations. These results could help to improve care for patients in other minority communities."

The study also showed that some patients may not have the skills to manage their condition, and clinical care may fall short of guidelines.

"This study underscores the importance of nurses in managing patient care and the integral role they play in the healing process," said Andrea Higham, director of The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future. "Nurses often have a distinct sense of their patients' needs, which can really result in positive outcomes."

To view the study, featured in the August 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, visit http://www.annals.org/.

Nursing Campaign Receives 2006 Jane Pauley Media Award

In July, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future received the 2006 Jane Pauley Media Award, for a Nursing Spectrum Television (NSTV) video segment.

Presented by the National Association for Health Care Recruitment, the Award recognized the Campaign's "They Dare to Care" segments, which feature local nurses who have contributed to the positive image of nursing as a profession. The award-winning segment, which aired on WLNY-TV (New York) and Women's Entertainment Network (WE), features the true story of Alexandra Castillo-Carrion, RN, who overcame many obstacles to become a registered nurse.

The Jane Pauley Media Award recognizes individuals of the media who most positively portray to the general public contributions made by health care professionals.

The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future 2006 Progress Report Available

Since launching in 2002, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future has been focused on enhancing the image of the nursing profession, recruiting new nurses and nurse educators, and retaining nurses. This year is no exception as the Campaign continues its commitment to the nursing community by raising funds for the advancement of nursing education; supporting a comprehensive web site that features career information, links to scholarships and listings for more than 2,000 educational programs; and distributing more than 10 million pieces of recruitment materials in English and Spanish to high schools, nursing schools, hospitals and nursing organizations nationwide.

To view Campaign highlights over the past four years, as well as see what our colleagues and collaborators are doing in the nursing community, visit nsweb.nursingspectrum.com or discovernursing.com (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).