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Nursing Workforce in the West: Resources

This repository of resources includes articles, reports, and examples of effective practices from across the West and nation. These resources are those included in the series of issue briefs, as well as other relevant resources.

If you would like to add resources to the list below, please email policy-info@wiche.edu or contact one of our team members below.

 

Arizona

  • In 2022, Arizona passed HB 2691 which established the Arizona Nurse Education Investment Pilot Program. The program seeks to increase the capacity of nurse education programs through funding for salaries and benefits to increase nursing faculty as well as investments into the expansion of nurse preceptor trainings.

Colorado

Hawai‘i 

  • In 2022, Hawai’i invested $1.75 million for 39 faculty positions across the University of Hawaii system. 
  • Since 2018, Hawai‘i has provided a tax incentive to eligible healthcare providers who serve as preceptors for nursing students.

New Mexico

  • In 2022, New Mexico awarded $15 million to expand nursing across the state, including enhancing faculty recruitment and retention through competitive salaries, stipends, and other compensation.

Washington

  • Washington passed HB 2158 (2019) which provided $40 million to the state’s community and technical colleges to increase nursing faculty salaries and reflected an overall increase of 26.5% for these salaries. 
  • Washington passed HB 2007 (2022), which established a nurse educator loan repayment under the Washington Health Corps.
  • The Washington State Student Nurse Preceptorship Grant provides financial benefits to clinical preceptors supporting nursing students in the state.
  • In 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $8.4 million dollars in Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention-Clinical Faculty and Preceptor Academies (NEPQR-CFPA). There three active academy grants in the West:
    • Region 9: Western University, the Benner Institute, HealthImpact, and San Antonio Regional Hospital are collaborating to providing training to clinical educators to enhance their practice of teaching.
    • Region  8:  The Montana Office of Rural Health and Area Health Education Center, Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence, Schools of Nursing at the University of Colorado, Montana State University, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, University of Utah, and University of Wyoming have partnered to develop the clinical nursing faculty and preceptor academy to equip clinical faculty and preceptors working in rural areas.
    • Region 10: Oregon Health & Science University is developing the Oregon Nursing Education Academy (ONEA) to increase the number of clinical nursing faculty and preceptors in HRSA region 10 (Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska).
  • Example | The Washington Center for Nursing has a Diverse Nursing Faculty Mentorship Program to provide a 12-month mentorship program for new nurse educators from underrepresented backgrounds.
  • Toolkit | National League fir Nursing (NLN). (2022, March).  NLN Mentoring Toolkit. 
  • Article | Dunham-Taylor, J. & et al. (2008). What goes around comes around: Improving faculty through more effective mentoring.  Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 24, No 6 (November–December), 2008: pp 337–346. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2007.10.013.
  • Blog | Terry, S. (2017, November). Mentorship program and novice nursing faculty
  • State Example | The Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education is a collaboratively created consortium of 11 community colleges and six universities. The partners share common prerequisites and admission standards and supports transfer across the institutions.
  • State Example | The New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium is a collaborative of state and tribal-funded nursing programs to support multiple pathways into nursing through a common pre-licensure RN curriculum.
  • State Example | ReNEW is Wyoming’s shared nursing curriculum across the state’s community colleges and the University of Wyoming (UW) School of Nursing. The program allows for students enrolled in Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs to simultaneously enroll in Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) coursework at UW.
  • State Example | The California Collaborative Model for Nursing Education is a collaborative model to increase access for more licensed RNs and allows for dual enrollment at ADN and BSN programs across partnering institutions.
  • White Paper | Boller, J., & et al. (2008). White Paper: Nursing Education Redesign for California
  • Resource | Close, L. (2012, September). The Shared Curriculum Model
  • State Example | Hawai’i uses a centralized scheduling system
  • State Example | California uses a centralized clinical placement system
  • State Example | The Arizona Clinical Education Consortium (AzCEC) is a community resource to support the complex scheduling demands of students participating in clinical education experiences in Maricopa County.
  • Institution Example | The University of Portland pioneered this model in the early 2000s and currently offers DEU in areas of community health, acute care, post-acute care, school-based nursing, ambulatory care, and mental health settings. Research on the University of Portland model found students viewed DEU as a high-quality learning environment with advantages over a traditional clinical setting. 
  • State Example | Utah developed a nurse apprenticeship license to help support the nursing workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. This apprenticeship licensure became permanent through the passage of SB 101 during the 2022 legislative session.  
  • State Example | Nevada’s  Nurse Apprentice Program is eligible to pre-licensure Practical Nurse (PN) and RN students and provides students the opportunity to earn valuable on-the-job training while receiving financial compensation. 
  • State Example | Colorado’s CO-HELPS Healthcare Apprenticeship Program is intended to help develop the state’s healthcare workforce through apprenticeships in entry-level positions and supports a student’s ability to enter a pathway to a registered nursing position. 
  • State Example | Wyoming has a statewide Certified Nursing Assistant apprenticeship program. 
  • State Example | HealthCARE (Creating Access to Rural Education) Montana is a collaborative project to recruit and retain healthcare professionals in rural Montana, including the development of apprenticeships. 
  • Institution Partnership Example | The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center’s College of Nursing  and Fort Lewis College  forged a partnership to develop the CU Nursing Fort Lewis College Collaborative. This collaborative model brings together the two postsecondary institutions to develop a four-year nursing degree to Fort Lewis College in southwest Colorado that is focused on providing a nursing curriculum aligned to rural, Indigenous healthcare perspectives.  
  • Institution Example | Montana State University’s Caring for Our Own Program  is a student support program for American Indian/Alaska Native nursing students. The program provides supplemental support for MSU students through culturally competent advising, access to a network of American Indian/Alaska Native nursing students and nurses, and resume and job search support.  
  • State Example | The New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium is a statewide prelicensure nursing curriculum that offers Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs across the state and includes community college and university partnerships to offer dual enrolled Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and BSN degree pathways. This collaboration expands educational opportunities across all regions of the state and supports the development of the rural healthcare workforce in New Mexico. 
  • Institution Example |  Montana State University Mobile Clinics  provide nursing students with training and experience working in high-need rural communities and support students through clinical travel reimbursements and participation in rural health-focused elective courses.   

For more information, contact:

Colleen Falkenstern

Senior Research Analyst, Policy Analysis and Research


303.541.0313

cfalkenstern@wiche.edu

Christina Sedney

Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Policy Analysis and Research


303.541.0238

csedney@wiche.edu