Contacts: Spencer Vibbert and Linda Sion at IPRO (516-326-7767)

IPRO is honoring a select group of health care providers in the Upper Capital Region who have signed on to a three-year project aimed at making dramatic improvements in care transitions and reducing avoidable readmissions to hospitals. The providers volunteering to participate in the high-profile Care Transitions Project include hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, physicians’ offices, rehab centers, dialysis centers and hospices located in the counties of Warren, Washington, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Saratoga. Nationally, almost 20% of Medicare beneficiaries are readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of discharge, while the vast majority of these readmissions may be preventable. Unplanned re-hospitalizations accounted for an estimated $17.4 billion in Medicare spending in 2004.

As the not-for-profit Medicare-funded Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for New York, IPRO works with providers across the state to improve performance on a series of inpatient and outpatient quality measures. The Care Transitions Project takes an innovative, community-based approach that emphasizes collaboration across settings and among distinct provider groups in order to better coordinate care for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic illnesses. IPRO is one of fourteen QIOs nationally selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for this initiative.

“We congratulate those Capital Region providers who are joining together to make dramatic improvements in care continuity, with the goal of reducing costly and often unnecessary readmissions to hospitals,” according to Clare Bradley, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer at IPRO. “To do this, we need to do a better job of identifying high-risk patients before discharge and implementing post-discharge care plans that address contingencies. We also need to make sure reliable transfer information gets shared across settings.”

Health care providers participating in this initiative are establishing systems to ensure reliable transfer of patient information across settings and are working to increase patient/caregiver satisfaction by keeping patients and their family members better informed about their conditions and medications.

In addition to working with health care providers and community leaders, IPRO is helping to empower the community by providing tools and information to help patients better manage their health care, keep track of their medications and support follow-up care post discharge from the hospital. The Personal Health Record (PHR) is an example of one of the helpful tools supported within this project. The PHR is a booklet for people to record, store and share all of their essential health care information with their health care providers.

Upper Capital Region providers and stakeholders currently participating in the project include:

• Adirondack Tri-County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
• Baptist Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
• Capital Care Medical Group
• Capital District Physicians Health Plan
• Community Hospice
• Ellis Hospital
• Fort Hudson Nursing Center
• Glens Falls Hospital
• H & L Rubin Dialysis Centers
• High Peaks Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc.
• Hoosick Falls Health Center
• Hudson Headwaters Health Network
• Kingsway Arms Nursing Center
• MVP Health Care
• Pleasant Valley
• Resurrection Nursing Home
• Saratoga Care Nursing Home
• Saratoga County Public Health
• Saratoga Hospital
• Seton Health/St. Mary’s Hospital
• Seton Health at Schuyler Ridge
• Seton Home Health Care
• The Avenue/Capital Living and Rehabilitation Centres
• The Dutch Manor/Capital Living and Rehabilitation Centres
• The Springs/Capital Living and Rehabilitation Centres
• The Stanton/Capital Living and Rehabilitation Centres
• Van Rensselaer Manor Nursing Facility
• VNSA of Schenectady and Saratoga
• Warren County Public Health
• Washington County Public Health
• Wesley Health Care Center Inc.
• The Orchard Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre
• Glens Falls Dialysis Center
• Ellis Residential & Rehab Center
• Healthcare Information Xchange of New York

This material was prepared by IPRO, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for New York State, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 9SOW-NY-THM7.2-09-13

Hospitals are cutting services and staff, while more patients are in need of assistance

Contact:
David Allen - (202) 626-2313
Alicia Mitchell - (202) 626-2339

Washington D.C. (Monday, April 27th 2009)

Six out of ten hospitals nationally are seeing a greater proportion of patients without insurance coming through their emergency departments, according to a new survey from the American Hospital Association (AHA). At the same time, nearly half of hospitals reported they have cut staff. Recent employment information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that hospital employment is no longer growing and that the number of mass layoffs for hospitals reported in February was more than double what it was a year ago.

The majority of hospitals reported that fewer patients are seeking inpatient and elective services; however, many hospitals are seeing more patients covered by Medicaid and other public programs for those in need. Need for hospital-subsidized services such as clinics, screenings and outreach is increasing even as charitable contributions are down for many hospitals.

“Today’s findings signal what many of us in health care are concerned about: people put off care when they lose their job, which can complicate health care issues for many down the road,” said AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. “At the same time, the fact that hospitals are cutting staff challenges the notion that hospitals are recession-proof.”

The survey also found that the economy is affecting hospitals with nine in 10 hospitals making cutbacks to help weather the economic storm. At the same time, more than one in five hospitals reported reducing services their community depends on, such as behavioral health programs, post acute care, clinics and patient education.

“Community need for care remains high and in these tough times, communities turn to their local hospital,” Umbdenstock said. “Hospitals are walking a tightrope, trying to balance the growing needs of their communities with today’s economic challenges.”

Despite taking these steps, the majority of hospitals are seeing a moderate or significant decline in their financial health in 2009 versus the same period in 2008. Many hospitals are struggling to make ends meet with over 40 percent expecting losses in the first quarter of 2009, jeopardizing their mission of caring for their communities. The majority of hospitals reported fewer patients are seeking inpatient hospital care or elective care, further shrinking the resources hospitals rely on to meet the health needs of their communities. Financial measures such as days cash on hand that are important to creditors are slipping. If key measures fall below a certain level, creditors can require immediate repayment of borrowed money.

Nearly all hospitals report that their ability to borrow funds to make improvements is getting worse or remains challenging. In a December survey, many hospitals reported that it was significantly more difficult or even impossible to access tax-exempt bonds and other sources of capital to make improvements. Nearly eight of 10 hospitals have stopped, postponed or scaled back projects such as facility upgrades as well as clinical and information technology planned or already in progress.

The survey, AHA’s second about the economic downturn’s impact on patients and communities hospitals serve, was sent to all 4,946 community hospitals in March.

1,078 responses were received, broadly representative of the universe of hospitals.

Click here for a copy of the report, which can also be found at www.aha.org.

About AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and 38,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.

###

WILTON, CT — 04/14/09 — Onward Healthcare, the nation’s fastest growing provider of travel nurse jobs, has released a list of the 101 Best Travel Nursing Websites. The list was developed by Onward Healthcare’s marketing and recruitment staff with the help of the travel nursing community.The Top 101 Travel Nursing Websites list is an essential resource for the estimated 25,000 plus travel nurses working in U.S. hospitals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that the decade long shortage of registered nurses will culminate in upwards of 500,000 new registered nurse jobs by 2016. As such, the demand for travel nurses will continue to grow to help fill these vacancies. Onward Healthcare is committed to providing these professionals with as many tools as possible to help them succeed.

“I was excited to see Onward put together such an all encompassing, easy to follow resource,” stated Rita Callaghan, Registered Nurse with Onward Healthcare. “As a travel nurse you may move up to four times a year, and this list points out some great websites on topics such as getting adjusted to a new city, finding deals on cable and internet providers and locating social clubs and organizations in your new city.”

The 101 Best Travel Nursing Websites is broken down into twenty categories — ten are specific to registered nurses and members of the nursing community, while the other ten are relative to any professional relocating to a new city. When judging each website, members of the Onward team, along with their travel nursing liaisons, focused on content, design, innovation, usefulness and update frequency.

“Our goal was to offer an all encompassing list of nursing websites that would be useful to our RNs in the field.” stated Steven Dobrowski, Director of Corporate Marketing for Onward Healthcare. “However, we also wanted to present our travel nurses with a broad range of practical sites and social networks that would appeal to their life on the road.”

Visit Onward Healthcare’s corporate website to view the entire list of the 101 Best Travel Nursing Websites.

About Onward Healthcare

Onward Healthcare is a leading
provider of integrated travel and local per diem staffing for registered nurses, allied health professionals, international candidates and vendor managed services for large health systems. Onward currently staffs clients in all 50 states including hospitals, outpatient clinics, magnet facilities, government facilities, schools, and long-tem care facilities. Founded in 2002, Onward Healthcare is headquartered in
Wilton, CT with local staffing offices in Encinitas, CA, Louisville, CO, Cherry Hill, NJ, Livingston, NJ, Melville, NY, and Wexford, PA.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=958869

Media Contact:
Steve Dobrowski
Director of Corporate Marketing
Onward Healthcare
800-278-0332 x3076
Email Contact

WINCHESTER — Shenandoah University nursing student Sonya Bhuller has been elected to serve as secretary on the board of the Virginia Nursing Students Association.

Bhuller, of Haymarket, is a third-year nursing student in the Division of Nursing, vice president of the Student Nurses Association at the university and a member of Rho Pi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, according to a school press release.

“We’re thrilled with this professional opportunity for Sonya,” Kathryn Ganske, director of the Division of Nursing, states in a school press release. “Not only is she active in and out of the classroom, she is also a dedicated community advocate, hosting an annual blood drive within the Sikh community in Fairfax.”

“My mother, a Certified Nurse Operating Room, is my role model,” Bhuller states in the release. “She has always seen the best in me and has inspired me to follow in her footsteps. Without the wonderful support from my husband and parents, I would not have been able to accomplish what I have to date.”

Shenandoah University’s Division of Nursing offers a number of nursing programs at the baccalaureate and graduate levels, as well as a post-master’s certificate in family nurse practitioner, nurse midwifery and psychiatric mental-health nurse practitioner and a doctor of nursing practice degree.

Visit www.su.edu/nursing or call the admissions office at 800-432-2266 for information about Shenandoah University’s nursing programs.

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.

#  #  #

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.

# # #

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