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| On February 7, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley held a press conference in The Cancer Institute's atrium to announce the allocation of $3.4 million to the University of Maryland School of Nursing to help alleviate a growing shortage of nurses in the state. Pictured from left to right: Sarah Hallett, RN; Governor Martin O'Malley; Jenny Miller, RN; Katie McGrath, RN. | A Complex Crisis
No SINGLE Cure for Nursing Shortage
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects that by 2020 more than 1 million registered nurses will be needed in our nation's health care system to meet the demand for nursing care. Increased awareness has brought national attention to the nursing shortage with programs such as The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future and other national and statewide initiatives. Health care professionals agree this has been a successful first step toward improving the deficit, but more needs to be done.
"Activism at federal and state government levels and local, grassroots efforts among hospitals and schools of nursing are required to develop innovative programs to attract competent, new recruits to the profession," explained Pamela Jamieson, RN, MSN, MBA, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Maryland. "These efforts also serve to provide a satisfying professional practice environment to retain staff."
St. Joseph's initiated a program called LAUNCH (Leading A Unique Nurse to Career Happiness) to help preserve nurse faculty and nurse educators. Jamieson describes the LAUNCH program that supports nurse graduates with the transition to the clinical setting as, "A successful program that meets the needs of the newly oriented graduate nurse during their first, critical year in transition."
"Our results show that nurses who have completed the LAUNCH program have outstanding scores in critical thinking, professional practice and interpersonal skills, as measured by a highly regarded, evidence-based tool. Nurse satisfaction with the education sessions has been consistently over 90 percent, and our retention rate at one year for those successfully completing the LAUNCH program is a strong 82 percent," Jamieson explained.
Dina Faucher, RN, PhD, APRNBC, OCN, CHT - chief nursing officer and dean of nursing at Apollo College in Phoenix agrees that "the nationwide attention to the nursing shortage has assisted students with the financial burden of going to nursing school and progressing on for their BSN and advanced practice degrees." But now, retention is a primary concern for Faucher. She believes, "The focus needs to be on retaining current nurses in the hospital work atmosphere since there is a cap on how many students can enter the nursing program due to the lack of clinical sites available."
Whether focusing on retaining nurses currently in the field or attracting new candidates to the nursing profession, health professionals and executives agree that a sustained, collaborative effort and multifaceted approach will work best to alleviate what remains one of the most important challenges in health care today.
For more information on the nursing shortage, visit http://www.discovernursing.com/home.
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| As the rate of substance abuse grows in the United States, substance abuse nurses continue to play a vital role in the treatment and recovery of patients. |
Substance abuse nurses provide rehab and hope
Drug and alcohol abuse is a widespread problem in our country. Substance abuse rates have increased with various ages, cultures and backgrounds over the years, creating a high demand for nurses who specialize in helping patients recover from this condition.
The International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA) is an international organization for nurses dedicated to helping those suffering from chemical dependencies. "We believe that all nurses, regardless of specialty or practice setting, are presented with opportunities for early identification of individuals and families impacted by, or at risk for, substance use and process addictions," said Carolyn Baird, MEd, MBA, RN-BC, CARN-AP and president of the IntNSA. "Because of this, it is important for nurses to have and maintain a basic level of knowledge and skills in addictive disorders. Our goal is to promote evidence-based, comprehensive state-of-the-art addictions nursing care for patients and their families."
Many patients who attend rehabilitation centers or other facilities to seek treatment may be there unwillingly, and consequently may feel resentful or unmotivated to complete the rehabilitation process. Therefore, nurses who specialize in rehabilitation for substance abuse must have a great deal of patience and understanding, and may work with the patient's family to search for an appropriate support program.
Nurses specializing in substance abuse care work in hospitals, mental health facilities, private facilities, and inpatient and outpatient treatment centers to provide care to people suffering from various chemical dependencies. They are committed to the prevention, treatment and intervention of those suffering from substance abuse.
For more information on substance abuse nursing, visit www.intnsa.org/. To explore other possibilities in nursing, go to http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-careers.
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 | Meet Nurse Nancy Ho
Graduate Nursing Student, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Q. Why did you decide to pursue nursing as a career?
A. We spend so many hours of our lives at work, and I had to make sure that I chose a career that was worth all those hours for me. I decided to pursue nursing as a career because of the opportunities that it would give me to help and be there for others.
Q. Why did you decide to become a nurse educator?
A. Without the guidance of my past and present teachers, I would not be where I am today. I want to give back and become a nurse educator to pass on the knowledge that I was privileged to gain, contribute to society in a meaningful way, and inspire other students to do the same. Through my future students, I will have the opportunity to impact health care exponentially!
Q. What advice would you offer to individuals interested in a nursing career?
A. My advice to individuals interested in nursing is to always remember to take care of yourself. In order to be in the best position to take care of others and continue to do so, we must take care of ourselves.
Q. How has nursing impacted your life?
A. Nursing gives me invaluable life skills and opportunities that I never imagined. It has also made me much more appreciative of the things that I have, like good health, food, and shelter.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the nursing profession?
A. Our diversity. Nursing as a profession is so diverse and there are so many things that nurses have to offer each other. Some of the most amazing people I know are nurses, and I always learn so much from them.
Q. How did The Johnson & Johnson/AACN Minority Nurse Faculty Scholarship help you obtain your nursing degree?
A. This scholarship allows me to focus more on my studies and be less concerned about working to make financial ends meet. I'm still a poor graduate student, just a little less poor.
Q. Describe your reaction upon learning that you were awarded this scholarship.
A. When I first heard about the scholarship, I was grateful that Johnson & Johnson and the AACN were supporting students in graduate education and knew that the scholarship recipients would benefit greatly. Then, when I found out about receiving this scholarship, I was ecstatic and still am!
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Promise of Nursing for Pennsylvania
Nearly 800 nurses gathered at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on March 11 for the Promise of Nursing for Pennsylvania gala, sponsored by The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, which raised more than $550,000 for Pennsylvania nursing scholarships, faculty fellowships and school grants. Since 2005, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future has raised more than $1.1 million for nursing education for the state.
This year, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future launched a Promise of Nursing for Pennsylvania Video Challenge, encouraging local nurses and nursing students to capture their passion about nursing on camera. Winners were selected by the audience at the Promise of Nursing for Pennsylvania gala. The grand prize winners from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing took home a $5,000 education grant.
Pictured from left to right: Andrea Bianca Gonzalez, student, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing; Kathleen McCauley, Ph.D, RN, associate dean for Academic Programs; Erin Langenkamp, student, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Not pictured: Sarah Strauss and Kari Martin-Rollins. |
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