Diverse groups work together to exchange perspectives, identify options for congressional action

For immediate release:
March 27, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Leaders from widely diverse national organizations today stressed their mutual commitment to reform of the nation’s health care system, calling it an “urgent, national necessity” that requires different stakeholders to cooperate in ways that they did not in previous reform efforts. The organizations, in identifying a number of policy approaches where they have reached consensus, pledged to work with lawmakers and each other to support the enactment of comprehensive reform this Congress.

Through a process they called Health Reform Dialogue (PDF), the organizations began holding facilitated discussions six months ago in order to create a forum outside of the political arena for exchanging views on tough policy issues. The participants – all principals of their respective organizations – launched the process to foster a greater sense of cooperation in the forthcoming national health reform debate, and provide broad-based support for congressional health reform efforts. In addition to sharing candid perspectives with each other privately before formal debate on health reform begins, the participants found areas of early consensus they believe can provide Congress with a solid foundation for reforming the health system.

“We entered this process knowing that the issues are complex, and with no illusions that these groups would reach agreement on every aspect of reform. But the diversity of perspectives that were shared at one table, and the spirit of commitment from all sides, made these discussions totally unlike anything that happened in 1994, and that bodes well,” said Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO, American Hospital Association. “Now more than ever before, all of us agree that fundamental reform of the nation’s health care system is critical – right now, this year – and is essential for every sector of society. The American people want bipartisan, responsible reform, and all of us do, too.”

The groups – representing employers, workers, physicians, nurses, consumers, insurers, public health professionals, and others – described a process that they believe will help pave the road for comprehensive reforms to be approved by this Congress.

“While our organizations have worked either side-by-side or across the table for many years, we’ve seen a great benefit from creating this formal dialogue to increase understanding of each other’s positions. I think it reflects that we have all learned from the last health care debate,” said John Castellani, president, Business Roundtable. “This dialogue will pay off as congressional discussion about various reform options gets into full swing,”

Providing a report on the progress-to-date of their discussions, participating organizations identified specific ideas for reform, including methods to expand health coverage, greatly reduce the growth rate for health care costs, and ultimately promote more effective and efficient care. Ideas shared focus on several over-arching principles that participants unanimously agree should be cornerstones for successful health care reform, including:

1. Expanding health care coverage options to extend insurance to the 46 million Americans who are uninsured;
2. Reducing the growth of health care costs by increasing value for American health care consumers. Key reforms include implementing Medicare payment reforms, improving billing efficiencies, closing gaps in quality and outcomes; and
3. Fostering an environment in which prevention, wellness and primary care – not just diagnosis and treatment – are the cornerstones of high-quality care, and more.

The group provided ideas for reform that included consensus on collective and individual responsibility and measures to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of care. They include:

• Reforms aimed at having all Americans purchase or otherwise obtain health insurance.
• Advanceable, refundable tax credits or other subsidies to help more people afford health coverage.
• Federal funding to help states with rising Medicaid costs, and establishing a baseline for Medicaid eligibility for all adults at no less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
• A public-private partnership to research ways to compare clinical effectiveness of treatments.
• Medicare payment reforms to increase value by improving prevention and care coordination.
• Funding for education, training, and loan forgiveness programs as components in a dynamic planning process to bolster the primary care and nursing workforce.

The group’s report also calls for an upfront investment to help set the health system on a path toward significant long-term savings and improve the long-term fiscal future of the nation.

“For decades, attempts to reform America’s health system have met with fractious debate,” said Georges C. Benjamin, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E.P. (E), executive director, American Public Health Association. “Until now, comprehensive health care reform has been deadlocked. The time has come to set aside some of our differences, talk openly with each other, and begin to find common ground. This process has significantly helped steer us toward that outcome.”

Organizations participating in the Health Reform Dialogue include: AARP, Advanced Medical Technology Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American College of Physicians, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Business Roundtable, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Families USA, Federation of American Hospitals, Healthcare Leadership Council, National Federation of Independent Business, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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Contact:

Katherine M. Hatwell
AMA Media Relations
202-789-7419

Groundbreaking Program Addresses the Nursing Shortage By Supporting 1500 New Students in Accelerated Nursing Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 22, 2008 – The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced today the creation of the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, designed to alleviate the nation’s nursing shortage by dramatically expanding the pipeline of students in accelerated nursing programs. Scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to 1500 entry-level nursing students over the next three years. Preference will be given to students from groups underrepresented in nursing or from a disadvantaged background.

“The size and scope of this scholarship program is truly unprecedented in nursing,” said AACN President Fay Raines. “We applaud the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for making this generous commitment to supporting professional nursing education programs and for taking a decisive step toward alleviating this nation’s shortage of registered nurses.”

Through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, funding will be available to schools of nursing with entry-level accelerated programs at the baccalaureate and/or master’s level(s). Schools must use funding to increase the number of students enrolled in accelerated programs and to enhance efforts to recruit students from groups underrepresented in nursing or disadvantaged backgrounds. Preference will be given to schools which show how funding can be used to help leverage new faculty resources. All applicants must specify the mentoring and leadership development resources that will be available to ensure successful completion of the nursing program by accelerated students.

The program will target many of the issues currently confronting professional nursing education, including providing support for students in accelerated nursing programs.  Accelerated programs offer the most efficient route to licensure as a registered nurse for adults who have already completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in a discipline other than nursing. Although enrollment in these programs has steadily increased over the past few years, many potential students are unable to apply since already having a college degree disqualifies them for most federal financial aid programs for entry-level students.

The RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program will provide much needed support for this student population while quickly boosting the nation’s supply of registered nurses. For more information on accelerated nursing programs, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/AcceleratedProg.htm.

By bringing more nurses into the profession at the baccalaureate and master’s degree levels, the new scholarship programs also helps to address the nation’s nurse faculty shortage. Data from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration show that nurses entering the profession at the baccalaureate level are four times more likely than other nurses to pursue a graduate degree in nursing, which is the required credential to teach.

“Besides preparing nurses with the highest level of entry-level preparation possible, the New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program will also address one of the root causes of the overarching nursing shortage,” added Dr. Raines. “This is truly a win-win situation for the nursing profession and for patients who deserve the best care possible.”

Furthermore the program targets the need to recruit students from groups underrepresented in nursing or disadvantaged backgrounds. According to the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, diversifying the nursing profession is essential to meeting the health care needs of the nation and reducing health disparities that exist among many underserved populations.

AACN will serve as the National Program Office for this RWJF-funded initiative and will oversee the grant application submission and review processes. A National Advisory Committee (NAC) composed of experts from nursing, healthcare, and the academic arenas will conduct the individual proposal reviews. For more information, see http://www.newcareersinnursing.org.

Schools of nursing interested in applying for a scholarship are invited to review the Call for Proposals (CFP) found online at http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20301.  All proposals must be submitted electronically through RWJF’s Grantmaking Online system and will be accepted through June 26, 2008. Two Web conferences are scheduled for May 6, 2008 and June 10, 2008 to provide guidance to applicants as well as a forum to ask questions. For more information about the CFP or the applicant Web conferences, contact the National Program Office at ncin@aacn.nche.edu or 202-463-6930, extension 232.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country.  As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful, and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. www.rwjf.org

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 620 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN’s educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor’s- and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice.

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CONTACT: Robert Rosseter
(202) 463-6930, x231
rrosseter@aacn.nche.edu

March 13, 2009

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Marian University receives $190,000 from the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill in order to help establish a collaborative, abilities-based master’s program in nursing education.

“The program is designed to address the shortage of nurse educators, thereby expanding opportunities for students go get degrees in nursing,” stated Rep. Tom Petri. “The University will establish collaborative agreements among a group of nursing programs at colleges, universities and technical colleges in the state.”

“I am excited about the support that it will give to our nursing program in order to assist in educating future nurses,” stated Marian University President Josefina Castillo Baltodano. “The university is grateful to Senator Kohl and Representative Petri for their support in the legislature.”

Supported by both Rep. Petri and Sen. Kohl, the proposed program will develop nurse educators who are culturally competent, have advanced clinical preparation and who are able to function in a complex education environment. With an education that focuses both on the teaching and learning process and on the clinical content necessary for direct care roles, graduates of the program will be able to teach students in both associate and baccalaureate degree curricula. This would be the first initiative in Wisconsin to join private and public colleges in order to create new models that use the faculty resources available.

In 2006, more than 32,000 aspiring nurses were turned away from college programs due to a lack of teachers and classroom space. This funding will allow Marian University to expand its program to educate more future nurses and nurse educators throughout the state.

For more information, please contact Timothy “Bo” Kemper, vice president for institutional advancement at, 1-800-2-MARIAN ext. 7676.

In response to a review of its strategic plan aimed at positioning it for future enrollment growth, the MGH Institute has announced the first phase of a restructuring plan. The school’s Graduate Programs in Nursing officially became the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, effective March 1, 2009.

According to Dr. Alex Johnson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, “This is more than a name change. We made the decision to reorganize based on the program’s expansion of nursing degree options and its sustained enrollment growth, which now constitutes 40 percent of our total student body.”

The MGH Institute of Health Professions, founded by Massachusetts General Hospital in 1977, became the successor institution to the hospital’s longstanding diploma School of Nursing which closed in 1981 during a time when nursing education nationally was shifting to a university model of preparation.

The MGH Institute’s Graduate Program in Nursing was one of the first in the nation to develop and offer a direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing for non-nurses wishing to become nurse practitioners. The direct-entry master’s program is currently ranked sixth in New England by US News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. Today, the MGH Institute’s School of Nursing has more than 300 students enrolled in a variety of degree and certificate programs.

In 2007 a 14-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing was added, and that same year the MGH Institute became one of the first schools in the nation to offer the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The nursing program, which has produced more than 1,200 graduates since awarding its first nursing degree in 1985, received a record 800 applications for the 2009-2010 academic year.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

________________________

For Immediate Release                  February 20, 2009

President Obama today announced the appointment of one of the nation’s top rural health care professionals as Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Dr. Mary Wakefield, Director of the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota, will oversee this critical agency, which helps to deliver health care to those who are uninsured and underserved by our current health care system.

“As a nurse, a Ph.D., and a leading rural healthcare advocate, Mary Wakefield brings expertise that will be instrumental in expanding and improving services for those who are currently uninsured or underserved,” President Obama said.  “Under her leadership we will be able to expand and improve the care provided at the Community Health Centers which serve millions of uninsured Americans and address severe provider shortages across the country.”

In addition to Community Health Centers across the country upon which millions of uninsured Americans depend for coverage, HRSA oversees many programs that the federal government runs to bring health care providers to underserved areas throughout the nation.  In addition, HRSA will administer $2.5 billion allocated in the Recovery Act to invest in our health care infrastructure and train health care professionals.

Dr. Wakefield’s Bio:

Dr. Mary Wakefield was most recently the Associate Dean for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she was a tenured professor and Director of the Center for Rural Health. Dr. Wakefield has expertise in rural health care, quality and patient safety, Medicare payment policy, workforce issues, and public policy. She has authored many articles and columns on health policy and is on the editorial board of a number of professional journals.

Dr. Wakefield previously served as director of the Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She also served as the Chief of Staff for United States Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) from January 1993 to January 1996 and as Legislative Assistant and Chief of Staff to Senator Quentin Burdick (D-ND).

Dr. Wakefield has served as a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs’ Special Medical Advisory Group. She served as Chair of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Health Care Quality for Rural America and of the Catholic Health Initiatives Board of Trustees, and was a subcommittee chair for President Clinton’s Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry.

Dr. Wakefield received her M.S. in nursing and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin and her B.S. in nursing from the University of Mary at Bismarck, ND.  She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, and is a recipient of numerous awards including the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) 2006 Nurse Research Award and the 2008 Nursing Economics Margaret D. Sovie Writer’s Award.

THE WHITE HOUSE, February 20, 2009.

Despite Surge of Interest in Nursing Careers, New AACN Data
Confirm that Too Few Nurses Are Entering the Healthcare Workforce

Passing the NEED Act of 2009 Would Address Resource Concerns at
Schools of Nursing and Spark Future Enrollment Growth

WASHINGTON, DC, February 26, 2009 – According to new survey data released today by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), less than half of all qualified applicants to entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs were enrolled last year despite calls to increase the number of well-educated registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. workforce. Though interest in nursing careers is high, the latest data show that almost 50,000 qualified applications to professional nursing programs were turned away in 2008, including nearly 7,000 applicants to master’s and doctoral degree programs.

“Nursing schools nationwide continue to see a strong interest in nursing careers among high school graduates and career changers looking for a dynamic, secure profession,” said AACN President Fay Raines. “Tempering this good news, however, is the fact that academic administrators are facing many barriers to accepting all qualified applicants into their nursing programs, including funding cuts, limited classroom and clinical space, and a diminishing pool of faculty. All efforts to end the nursing shortage and enhance the pipeline of nursing students must focus on addressing these serious concerns.”

“AACN has zeroed in on a growing national problem – a nursing shortage and a desperate lack of nursing teachers,” said Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), Majority Whip. “Every year, our colleges and universities turn away more and more aspiring healthcare professionals due to lack of faculty.  Last year over 2,500 potential nursing students in my home state of Illinois were turned away.  The Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development (NEED) Act that I introduced with Congresswoman Lowey will strike at the heart of the nursing shortage by giving colleges the resources they need to train more nurses.”

AACN’s latest data report updates the preliminary data released in December 2008 and determines enrollment trends by comparing data from the same schools reporting in both 2007 and 2008. Final survey data show that enrollments in entry-level baccalaureate programs in nursing rose by 2.2% in 2008, a slight increase above the earlier reported increase of 2.0%.  Though this growth is welcome, the number of new students in baccalaureate programs falls far short of meeting projected needs. Last year, The Council on Physician and Nurse Supply, an independent group of healthcare leaders based at the University of Pennsylvania, called for 30,000 additional nurses to be graduated annually to meet the nation’s workforce needs, an expansion of 30%. This year’s 2.2% increase translates into an increase of only 3,069 entry-level students.

“Increasing enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs is a critical first step to correcting an imbalance in the nursing student population and reversing our nation’s diminishing supply of nurse educators,” said AACN CEO and Executive Director Geraldine “Polly” Bednash. “In almost all jurisdictions, nursing faculty must possess a graduate degree in order to assume a full-time teaching role.  Since the overwhelming majority of nurses with master’s and doctoral degrees began their education in baccalaureate programs, efforts to alleviate the faculty shortage must focus on expanding enrollments in four-year nursing programs.”

Other key findings from AACN’s 2008 survey include the following:

• Applications & Acceptance Rate: In the 2007-2008 academic year, 190,483 completed applications were received for entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs with 122,001 meeting admission criteria and 80,616 applications accepted. These data translate into an acceptance rate of 42.3%. For a graphic showing a five-trend in applications received, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/pdf/EnrollChanges.pdf.

• Total Enrollment: The AACN survey found that total enrollment in all nursing programs leading to the baccalaureate degree is 201,407, an increase from 192,698 in 2007. Within this universe, 145,845 students are enrolled in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs. In graduate programs, 69,565 students are enrolled in master’s programs, and 7,391 are enrolled in doctoral nursing programs.

• Survey Response: AACN’s findings are based on responses from 663 nursing schools (87%) in the U.S. and its territories that grant baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees. AACN data reflect actual counts reported in Fall 2008 by nursing schools, not projections or estimates based on past reporting.

• Student Diversity: Graduate nursing programs realized the greatest gains in the number of students from minority backgrounds over the past year. Though representation in baccalaureate nursing programs remained high at 26%, the proportion of minority students in master’s programs increased to 24% (up 1,803 students) and to 22.2% in research-focused doctoral programs (up 41 students). For 10-year data on diversity in nursing education programs, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/EthnicityTbl.pdf.

• Men in Nursing: Though men represent only 5.8% of the U.S. nursing workforce, the percentage of men in baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs are 10.4% and 8.9%, respectively.  In doctoral programs, 7.1% of students in research-focused programs and 10.2% of students in practice-focused programs are men.

• Accelerated Programs: Accelerated nursing programs continue to be an important pathway into nursing for individuals with degrees in other fields who are looking to change careers. Last year, 13 new accelerated baccalaureate programs were launched, bringing the nationwide total to 218 programs. Currently, 11,018 students are enrolled in these programs, up from 9,938 in 2007, and the number of graduates has climbed to 6,870 graduates in 2008. In the 57 accelerated master’s degree programs now available, 4,577 students are enrolled, and 1,177 students graduated last year. See http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/AcceleratedProg.htm.

• Degree Completion Programs: Given the calls for a more highly educated nursing workforce, AACN was pleased to see growth in degree completion programs for RNs looking to earn a baccalaureate or master’s degree. From 2007 to 2008, enrollment in RN-to-Baccalaureate programs increased by 8.2%, which marks the sixth year of enrollment increases. Currently, 621 RN-to-Baccalaureate and 160 RN-to-Master’s Degree programs are available nationwide with many programs offered completely online. See http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/FactSheets/DegreeCompletionProg.htm.

• Clinical Nurse Leader: The national movement to advance the new Clinical Nurse Leader® (CNL) role gained momentum last year with 11 new CNL programs opening, which brings the total number of programs to 81.  Currently, 1,650 students are enrolled in these generalist master’s programs (up 29.9%) and 467 CNLs graduated last year (up 76.2%). For details on the CNL, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNL.

• Baccalaureate to Doctoral Programs: One innovative program that is gaining momentum and helping to bring younger faculty into nursing is the Baccalaureate to Doctoral program. AACN’s latest survey shows that 72 Baccalaureate to Doctoral programs are now available, up from 63 programs in 2007, with an additional 11 programs under development. See http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/BACDOC.pdf.

• Doctoral Nursing Programs: Though the overall number of nursing students in doctoral programs has increased by 20.9% from 2007 to 2008, enrollment growth has been limited to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.  In research-focused doctoral programs (i.e. PhD, DNSc), enrollments increased by only 0.1% or 3 students last year with the total student population reaching 3,976. The number of enrollees in DNP programs nearly doubled during that same timeframe with the student population growing from 1,874 to 3,415 students (82.2%). In terms of doctoral program graduates, 555 students graduated from research-focused programs in 2008, and 361 graduated from DNP programs.

Students Turned Away Reaches New High
Though interest in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs is strong, thousands of qualified applicants are being turned away from four-year colleges and universities. In fact, AACN’s survey found that 49,948 qualified applications were not accepted at schools of nursing last year due primarily to a shortage of faculty and resource constraints. Within this total, applications turned away include 41,385 from entry-level baccalaureate, 1,659 from RN-to-Baccalaureate, 5,902 from master’s, and 1,002 from doctoral programs.

The top reasons reported by nursing schools for not accepting all qualified students into entry-level baccalaureate programs, include a lack of faculty (62.5%), insufficient clinical teaching sites (53.8%), limited classroom space (42.3%), insufficient preceptors (25.4%) and budget cuts (14.8%).  For a graphic showing the number of qualified applicants turned away from entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs over the past seven years, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/pdf/TurnedAway.pdf.

Advancing Solutions to the Nursing Shortage
With the goal of expanding student capacity, schools of nursing across the country are working to find creative ways to accept more qualified students into their programs. AACN is working to facilitate these efforts by advocating for federal legislation that benefits nursing education, including the establishment of a capitation grant program through the NEED Act that was introduced today by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). In the 110th Congress, this legislation was championed by Reps. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Lois Capps (D-CA) in the House and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) in the Senate.

“At a time when job loss and unemployment have affected so many sectors of our economy, it is inexcusable that funding and resource constraints at nursing schools are preventing us from filling gaps in the nursing workforce,” said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-18).  “In 2008, baccalaureate and graduate nursing schools in New York turned away 2,134 qualified applicants, 550 more students than last year. That is why I have introduced and supported the NEED Act since 2004.  This legislation will help schools of nursing accommodate and train more qualified applicants so health care providers can hire the workforce they need.”

AACN commends the work of President Obama and Congress in the past few weeks to enact legislation that will support nursing students and schools across the country. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the House passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, and the President’s FY 2010 budget overview document (released today) all support solutions to address the critical shortage of nurses.

AACN will continue to focus its resources on working with policy-makers to support schools of nursing in their efforts to expand student and faculty populations. “A successful solution to the shortage of RNs and nurse faculty will require a collaborative effort on the part of the nursing profession, federal legislators, the healthcare system, and all stakeholders,” said Dr. Raines. “Together, we must remove barriers to nursing careers, provide incentives for nurses to advance their education, and create practice environments that encourage professional development and foster retention.”

About the AACN Survey: AACN’s 28th Annual Survey of Institutions with Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Nursing Programs forms the basis for the nation’s premier database on trends in nursing school enrollments and graduations, student and faculty demographics, and faculty and deans’ salaries. Complete survey results are compiled in the report 2008-2009 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, which may be ordered online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/datarep.htm. Details about AACN’s annual data reports on faculty and dean salaries will be available in late March 2009.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 640 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN’s educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor’s- and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice.

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CONTACT: Robert Rosseter
202-463-6930, x231
rrosseter@aacn.nche.edu

Moses Taylor Hospital has completed an implementation of Amelior EDTracker. Charlotte, NC and Scranton, PA (March 4, 2009) – Patient Care Technology Systems (PCTS), a subsidiary of Consulier Engineering, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSLR), today announced that Moses Taylor Hospital (MTH) has completed an implementation of the company’s Amelior EDTracker® software to automatically track patients and assets in its 35,000 census emergency department. The software uses an ultrasonic positioning system from PCTS business partner, Sonitor Technologies.

The Amelior EDTracker solution is part of PCTS’ enterprise visibility suite which comprises departmental to facility-wide software solutions and services designed to more efficiently and safely orchestrate patient care through the real-time visualization of patient flow. Hospitals can scale their implementations by the entities they wish to track (movable medical equipment, patients, staff), purpose (asset management, patient flow, infection control) and by the scope of hospital workflow (emergency department, perioperative department, outpatient services, med/surg, facility-wide).

The web-based Amelior tracking software visualizes workflow by automatically identifying the location of people and equipment and the care progression of patients. Location information is generated by integrating with a facility’s choice of real-time locating system (RTLS) including ultrasonic, infrared, radio-frequency, and hybrid technologies. Workflow algorithms within the software interpret the meaning of location, movement and interactions between patients, staff and equipment to alert mobile caregivers to patient care milestones as they occur through patient status and department map view screens. Additional interfaces to ADT, lab and radiology systems create a centralized workflow communication and management portal that eliminates the need for manual updates and delays caused by a lack of information.

At MTH’s emergency department, PCTS installed large flat panel monitors to display big-screen views of the main tracking board and waiting room in status screen and map layouts. Icons indicate the status of patients and rooms as well as to indicate patient flow roadblocks and patient safety alerts.

“We are very pleased to have implemented the Amelior EDTracker system,” said Edward Roman, chief information and privacy officer at Moses Taylor Hospital. “The system has given our caregivers a new level of patient flow management capability through the many ways we can visualize and communicate patient status.”

PCTS will be demonstrating the Amelior EDTracker system at the ENA Leadership Conference in Reno, Nevada on March 6 – 7 in booth #211.

About Moses Taylor Hospital

Moses Taylor Hospital is a community-based health care facility with a long tradition of providing quality health care services to the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1892 by a New York City merchant, banker and industrialist named Moses Taylor, the mission of the hospital was to care for the railroad workers and coal miners of the region. The main campus of the hospital remains at its original site, located at 700 Quincy Avenue, Scranton, PA.

Moses Taylor Hospital has 173 beds, 22 geropsychiatric inpatient beds, 32 skilled nursing beds as well as a 14-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit. In addition to a full-service emergency department, Moses Taylor Hospital has medical/surgical and other acute care specialty services. Our Family Birthing Suites provides a family-focused environment for births and our unique, private room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit provides state-of-the-art services for our tiniest and most fragile patients. Other services provided at the Hospital include wound care, MRI/CT and hospice or palliative care.

With over 400 physicians on staff, Moses Taylor Hospital employs more than 1,500 people who are dedicated to providing quality and cost effective health care that is patient-focused. Moses Taylor Hospital is part of an integrated delivery system known as Moses Taylor Health Care System, comprised of Mid-Valley Hospital and Physicians Health Alliance, Inc., a 60-member, multi-specialty physician group. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

About Patient Care Technology Systems

Patient Care Technology Systems, a subsidiary of Consulier Engineering, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSLR), helps health care providers to improve patient flow, increase capacity and improve patient and staff safety by visualizing the real-time location of resources and the care status of patients throughout their facility. Proven return on investment in high turnover, high acuity departments such as the emergency department and perioperative suite where PCTS solutions have supported over 5 million patient visits with automatic tracking and emergency department documentation solutions. Compatible with all leading locating technologies including active-RFID, infrared, ultrasound, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi and ZigBee. PCTS customers have been recognized nationally for improvements in efficiency and clinical excellence. For more information, visit www.pcts.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. PCTS and CSLR caution you that any statements contained in this press release which are not strictly historical statements constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those related to PCTS’s and CSLR’s expectations regarding continued business growth. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, (copies of which may be obtained at the SEC’s website at: http://www.sec.gov) — could impact the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PCTS and CSLR disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in PCTS and CSLR’s expectations, or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

July 23, 2008

Sioux Falls, S.D. – University of Sioux Falls (USF) President Mark Benedetto today announced that the school will be receiving a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for the creation of a school of nursing. The gift represents the largest grant that USF has ever received. The University will submit a formal application with the South Dakota Board of Nursing in September with the hope of enrolling its first students in fall 2009. USF will begin an immediate search for a nursing program director.

“We’re grateful the DOE recognized our past success and commitment to increasing access to faith-based postsecondary education,” said Chairman of the USF Board of Trustees Bob Veninga of St. Paul, Minn. “The leadership of USF is committed to students’ intellectual growth, but we’re equally interested in their spiritual formation and character development. This is a formula that will prove successful in preparing top-quality nurses for the 21^st Century and beyond.”

The five-year, $2 million award under the department’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program serves as an enhancement to the University’s recently completed Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce-approved “Science for Success” campaign. The DOE funds will be used to recruit and employ highly qualified nursing faculty, develop curricula, acquire supportive instructional resources, purchase state-of-the-art equipment and fund the renovation of new science classrooms and teaching labs within the Salsbury Science Center. Additionally, a portion of the grant will provide seed money for an endowment that will be used to provide student scholarships in the future.

“The proposed nursing program aligns well with the expressed mission of the University and would eventually translate into increased student enrollment,” said Benedetto. “Additionally, it would compliment similar programs offered throughout South Dakota that focus on providing quality healthcare for the state’s population.”

USF has experienced unparalleled growth since Benedetto began his tenure in 1997. Total enrollment has more than doubled, annual giving has increased by over 600 percent per year and the University’s endowment has grown from $5 million to more than $21 million. Within the past decade, USF has been involved in 14 building projects and has added roughly $32 million of institutional assets at two campus locations. New academic programs and adult learning programs in education and business administration have also been added. In May 2008 the University graduated more students, 420, than any other private college in South Dakota.

Since 2000 USF has seen a significant increase – 63 percent – in the number of students who declare science majors.

“Each year the University admissions office fields numerous inquiries from students interested in pursuing a nursing degree,” said Brett Bradfield, vice president and dean for academic affairs. Marketing research conducted for USF by an external agency indicated strong regional interest in a nursing program at the University. Given the statistical data forecasting a continuing shortage of qualified nurses for the state and region, USF is hopeful that this initiative will forge the way for collaborative and cooperative relationships across the state with a common goal to increase the pool of nurses serving in healthcare roles.

Founded in 1883, USF offers 33 major areas of study, 2 degree completion programs, 7 pre-professional programs, master’s degrees in business administration and education and a collaborative doctorate in education with the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. Total enrollment for fall 2009 is expected to approach 1,700 students. USF draws 66 percent of undergraduates from South Dakota, and the neighboring states of Iowa, Minnesota, Wyoming and Nebraska make up the majority of the remaining student body.

For all additional information please contact
Barbara Vellenga, PhD, RN
Director, School of Nursing
University of Sioux Falls
1-605-331-6671 or 1-800-888-1047
Nursing@USiouxfalls.edu

Both receive the Kathy Ruccione Founder’s Award for Excellence In Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing

CONTACT: Steve Rutledge at (323) 361-4121

LOS ANGELES – Two Childrens Hospital Los Angeles nurses – Rita Secola, R.N., MSN, CPON and Anne Nord, R.N., BSN – received the Kathy Ruccione Founder’s Award for Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing from the Southern California Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (SCAPHON) at the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON) conference, May 10-11, 2007, in San Diego.

In 1995, the SCAPHON board of directors bestowed the first Founder’s Award to Kathy Ruccione, R.N., MPH, FAAN, CPON, nursing administrator in the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and an associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Ms. Ruccione was the driving force behind establishing the Southern California chapter of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses.

“It is an honor and privilege for all Childrens Hospital Los Angeles nurses to work with Rita and Anne,” said Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Mary Dee Hacker. “They are role models for all of us to strive to be the best nurses possible to the children and families we serve.

“The Kathy Ruccione Founder’s Award for Excellence in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing is the highest honor bestowed by SCAPHON and [Childrens Hospital Los Angeles] we are proud and honored that two of our very best were recognized this year with this award.”

Ms. Secola is the clinical nurse manager of the Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation units in the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Ms. Secola received a bachelor’s degree in nursing (1983) from Carlow College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in nursing (1988) from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. She became a certified pediatric oncology nurse (CPON) in 1993.

Ms. Nord is the hematology research nurse coordinator in the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. She coordinates clinical trials in Hematology and assists in the planning, development and implementation of clinical protocols in accordance with the parameters established by the principal investigator and the hospital’s Institutional Review Board.

Ms. Nord received both an associate’s degree in nursing (1989) and a bachelor’s degree in nursing (1990) from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles.

Founded in 1901, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has been treating the most seriously ill and injured children in Los Angeles for more than a century, and it is acknowledged throughout the United States and around the world for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. Childrens Hospital is one of America’s premier teaching hospitals, affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California for more than 75 years. It is a national leader in pediatric research.

Since 1990, U.S. News & World Report and its panel of board-certified pediatricians have named Childrens Hospital Los Angeles one of the top pediatric facilities in the nation.

Only five percent of hospitals in U.S. have received Magnet status

CONTACT: Steve Rutledge at (323) 361-4121

LOS ANGELES – The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) yesterday (Feb. 20, 2008) granted “Magnet Recognition” to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles for nursing excellence, according to an announcement by Richard D. Cordova, FACHE, president and CEO of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

“The ANCC made ‘official’ what so many of our patient families and those within the profession have come to know,” Cordova said, “….that this hospital is a very, very special place, and its nurses are, too.”

The Magnet Recognition Program® was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to recognize health care organizations that demonstrate nursing excellence. Only five percent of the hospitals in the United States have received Magnet Recognition, including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, and only the very best children’s hospitals throughout the country.

The Magnet Recognition for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is the culmination of an extended process that began under the leadership of Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Mary Dee Hacker, R.N., MBA, more than three years ago.

“Our nurses work tirelessly to provide the highest quality of care available, anywhere, built on a foundation of evidence-based best practices,” Cordova said. “They have embraced the goal of becoming leaders in research and education, too. Their work is found in professional journals, publications and textbooks.

“Our nurses participate in national and international conferences,” he said, “presenting their work in posters and at the podium. They are considered experts, and they are sought as consultants, nationally and internationally.

“Many of our nurses are leaders within the profession or serve as members of the faculty in nursing departments at colleges and universities in and around Los Angeles,” Cordova said. “They volunteer in their communities and abroad.”

The three-year Magnet Recognition application process was under the direction of Susan Cline, RNC, MSN, MBA, who is now operations manager in the Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. The process involved more than 100 nurses in the creation of a document, with addenda, of more than 3,500 pages.

The original Magnet research study in 1983 identified 14 characteristics that differentiated organizations that were best able to recruit and retain nurses during the nursing shortages of the 1970s and 1980s. These characteristics became the ANCC Forces of Magnetism that provide the conceptual framework for the Magnet appraisal process – attributes or outcomes that exemplify excellence in nursing.

The full expression of the current 14 Forces of Magnetism is the requirement for designation as a Magnet facility and embodies a professional environment guided by a strong and visionary nursing leader who advocates and supports excellence in nursing practice.

They are Force 1: Quality of Nursing Leadership; Force 2: Organizational Structure; Force 3: Management Style; Force 4: Personnel Policies and Programs; Force 5: Professional Models of Care; Force 6: Quality of Care; Force 7: Quality Improvement; Force 8: Consultation and Resources; Force 9: Autonomy; Force 10: Community and the Healthcare Organization; Force 11: Nurses as Teachers; Force 12: Image of Nursing; Force 13: Interdisciplinary Relationships; and Force 14: Professional Development.

Founded in 1901, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has been treating the most seriously ill and injured children in Los Angeles for more than a century, and it is acknowledged throughout the United States and around the world for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. Childrens Hospital is one of America’s premier teaching hospitals, affiliated with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932. It is a national leader in pediatric research.

Childrens Hospital Los Angeles treats 62,000 patients a year in its Emergency Department. It admits more than 11,000 children a year to the hospital, with almost 50-percent of those admissions children under four years of age. There are approximately 287,000 visits a year to its 29 outpatient clinics; nearly 2,800 visits at community sites through its Division of Adolescent Medicine. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is able to offer the optimum in multidisciplinary care, with more than 100 pediatric subspecialty services.

Since 1990, U.S. News & World Report and its panel of board-certified pediatricians have named Childrens Hospital Los Angeles one of the top pediatric facilities in the nation.