Nursing Education Initiative

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Nursing Education Initiative

• Presented by the Labor and Workforce Development
  Agency

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• Nurses are people of compassion and courage.
  Their profession is a labor of love and without
  them we simply could not deliver quality care for
  patients. California is facing a severe nursing
  shortage and it is absolutely critical that we
  open up the nursing profession to everyone who
  has the passion and potential.
• Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
  April 13, 2005

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Nursing Education Initiative

• The Problem
• The Task Force
• The Solution

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Problem
Californias major challenge is to expand
educational capacity in nursing programs

• California needs at least 9,000 RNs annually, but
  our nursing programs only graduate close to 6,000
  nurses per year
• Nursing programs are at capacity, and an average
  of 40 percent of applicants are denied admission
  each year
• A lack of clinical lab space, classrooms and
  qualified faculty contribute to the limited
  educational capacity

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Problem
Like all other regions in California, the San
Joaquin Valley faces a nursing shortage

• The San Joaquin Valley has an estimated 900 to
  1,000 RN job openings per year (EDD projection)
• The RN employment growth rate in some parts of
  the region is higher than the States average
• Madera County 82.2
• Fresno County 42.8

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Task Force

• The Governor created an on-going Taskforce to
  oversee implementation of the Nurse Education
  Initiative. The Taskforce consists of
• Secretary, Health Human Services
• Secretary, Labor Workforce Development
• Secretary, State Consumer Services
• Secretary, Veterans Affairs
• Secretary, Education
• President, University of CA System
• Chancellor, CA State University System
• Chancellor, CA Community Colleges
• Department of Finance

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
The Governors Nursing Education Initiative

• Help colleges and universities expand educational
  capacity
• Recruit more qualified instructors
• Develop new avenues to nursing careers
• Seek additional funds for nurse education from
  the federal government and other funding sources

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
1. Expand Educational Capacity

• 90 million project to expand capacity in
  Community Colleges
• 19 grants awarded statewide
• Yield an estimated 2,400 nurses after 5 years
• Allocated funds to expand Masters and Bachelors
  programs at CSU and UC
• At least 440 new enrollment slots created

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
1. Expand Educational Capacity

• Creating three clinical simulation labs in rural
  areas of California
• Allocated 13.2 million in Workforce Investment
  Act funds to support local nursing education
  efforts

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
2. Recruit Nursing Faculty

• The Administration created a loan forgiveness
  program for nursing students committed to
  teaching
• Masters of Science in Nursing and PhD students
  will be eligible for up to 25,000 in loan
  forgiveness if they agree to teach in a
  California nursing program

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
4. Develop new avenues to nursing careers

• The Administration is developing a plan to expand
  Nursing Career Academies in high schools
• Curriculum will have a strong math and science
  focus
• Job shadowing and career counseling will be
  offered

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Nursing Education InitiativeThe Solution
5. Seek additional funding sources

• Many of the projects underway are funded
  creatively through public-private partnerships
• Administration leaders are seeking additional
  funds for nursing education from the federal
  government and private foundations

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Nursing Education Initiative
The Solution
Future Action

• Create a statewide nursing faculty recruitment
  and retention program
• Develop regional clinical registries to match
  students with available clinical placements
• Transition veterans into the nursing profession
• Continue to create and expand new nursing
  programs

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Nurse Education Initiative

• For further information, contact
• Kate Tansey
• Labor and Workforce Development Agency
• [phone]
• kate.tansey_at_labor.ca.gov