April 14, 2021 - It’s time for healthcare to take the next step in health equity work.

Nurse practitioners could play a big role in expanding community-based care access, creating more health equity in healthcare services.  By Sara Heath

​Over the course of the past year, which brought with it the coronavirus pandemic and a national reckoning on race and racism, the industry has produced countless studies confirming the existence of racial health disparities. The data has piled up indicating that communities of color carried a disproportionate COVID-19 burden compared to their White peers, while racial health disparities in transplant care, maternity care, and breast cancer care have also come to the forefront.

​When managers support interventions for stress relief and encourage nurses to take time during their shift to practice stress management, it may make the work environment feel less stressful & more supportive.

Death, Through a Nurse’s Eyes - A short film offering a firsthand perspective of the brutality of the pandemic inside a Covid-19 I.C.U.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has eclipsed the one year mark, the New York Times wanted to feature the day to day work of the ICU nurse; and their holistic and critical role related to patient care, nursing excellence and commitment to the profession.
 
This is an unprecedented view into the ICU, showcasing how the nursing team leads care for our patients each and every day. and offers interviews with staff so we truly can understand the impact of this pandemic on the nurse.

Click on the image below to watch video by New York Times.

Hospital for Special Care (HFSC) welcomes students pursuing initial degrees in nursing to apply for a 2021 Nursing Scholarship. Scholarships available are made possible through established charitable funds. Six scholarships will be awarded to students enrolling or enrolled in an accredited college/university as full-time or part-time undergraduate students and meeting the eligibility criteria below.

Application deadline is May 10, 2021
 
SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNTS:

• The Rona Botwinick Nursing Scholarship - $3,000
• The Florence Timura Nursing Scholarship - $3,000
• The Dr. Michael Timura, III Nursing Scholarship - $2,750
• The Paul Sutula Nursing Scholarship - $2,500
• The Elizabeth Timura Gold Star Mother Nursing Scholarship - $2,500
• The John Timura Nursing Scholarship - $2,500

 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
This scholarship is open to:
 

• Students residing in the Greater New Britain Area in one of the following towns: New Britain, Berlin, Farmington, Newington, Plainville or Southington
• Students enrolling or enrolled in an associate or baccalaureate degree program, pursuing a Registered Nurse degree (Note: Students pursuing an RN to BSN program or who already are a Registered Nurse do not qualify)

 
ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
§ Must maintain a minimum of a 2.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale

For your convenience, here is a direct link to the application online: HFSC 2021 Nursing Scholarship Application.

Questions?
Laura Gervais
Donor Database Manager
Hospital for Special Care Foundation
lgervais@hfsc.org
Direct: 860-832-6257

The Connecticut League for Nursing’s Council of Deans & Directors Supports that National Policy Brief and Highlights below how our Colleges and Universities can Partner with Practice Settings to Support a Robust and Safe Nursing Workforce during the COVID-9 Crisis and Aftermath.
Purpose
This policy brief is a collaborative effort of nursing leaders who propose & support academic/practice partnerships between health care facilities and pre-licensure registered nursing (RN) and practical/vocational nursing (PN/VN) programs across the country during the COVID-19 crisis. This is one potential model to consider. It is not mandated, rather an innovative approach to meeting academic and workforce needs.

• The proposed model requires cautious evaluation at the local level with a clear understanding that:
  The participation of student nurses and faculty is voluntary and must comply with any additional requirements mandated in state emergency response provisions or through existing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements;
• The safety for all front-line providers of services across multiple points of care must be safeguarded through appropriate and prevailing infection control practices

Context
COVID-19 is a virus affecting the entire world. To date, thousands of people in the U.S. have tested positive for the disease, and it is anticipated that many more will be affected in the near future. After observing the pattern of the virus, the U.S. anticipates an overabundance of patients inundating hospitals and possibly overwhelming the entire U.S. healthcare system.

• A significant demand is being placed on the entire nursing workforce, and this is anticipated to increase at an alarming rate.
• Simultaneously, the pandemic has affected pre-licensure RN and PN/VN nursing students across the country. Clinical experiences with patients are an essential part of every nursing program curriculum and are mandated by the State Boards of Nursing for licensure. Many hospitals and health care facilities have determined that pre-licensure RN and PN/VN nursing students should not be in contact with patients and have discontinued student clinical experiences in their facility. Without this valuable experience, all nursing students will have a deficit in their education, are unable to meet their program requirements and will not be eligible for graduation at a time when RNs and PN/VNs are needed in the healthcare.

Proposal
Health care facilities and nursing education programs are encouraged to partner during the COVID-19 crisis.
CLN’s Response:
For the past 12 months the leadership of the Schools & Program of Nursing and of Acute Care practice Settings in Connecticut have been actively engaged in work to address:

• Promoting and Empowering Bedside Nursing
• Models to Embed Resources for Clinical Instruction
• Graduate Education & Counseling for Professional Development and
• Better understand the Nursing Workforce Demographics through EDUCATION, SUPPLY and DEMAND survey results- In January 2020, a Full Proposal was sent by the CT Center for Nursing Workforce, Inc. to the Dept. of Labor and in March 2020 to the Governor’s Office to fund these comprehensive Data Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination initiatives so that proactive nursing and healthcare workforce planning can be a top priority for the state to build a robust and sustainable nursing and healthcare workforce in Connecticut.

Workgroups have produced and disseminated white papers, partnership models and publications to all of the Chief Nursing Officers, Professional Development Nurse Educators, Deans & Directors and Faculty showcasing models to support a robust and sustainable nursing workforce in Connecticut. Among these options proposing solutions to enhance the Connecticut nursing workforce, the Council of Deans & Directors have proposed models as how nursing students directly supervised by nursing faculty can be utilized to support the COVID-19 response efforts.

Pre-licensure RN students from diploma, associate degree and baccalaureate degree nursing programs and PN/VN students from certificate nursing programs could augment and support nursing services in health care facilities.
CLN’s Response:
Propose that our pre-licensure nursing students and associated faculty from our Schools/Programs of Nursing augment the nursing workforce within healthcare facilities in the following areas:

• Increasing the number of Nurse Technicians or Nursing Assistants within the workforce with Sophomore, Junior and Senior level students using educationally sound approaches (see attached for an example of a model of engagement- Fairfield Univ.)
• Increasing the number of Graduate Nurses (GNs) (academically prepared, yet not licensed) within the workforce with newly graduating students in light of balancing the remainder of their nursing education and need to study for the National Licensing Exam (NCLEX), and
• Increasing the number of licensed Registered Nurses in the workforce by working with nurses re-entering practice via CLN’s 100% Online RN Refresher Course to support new hires into the practice settings.

Nursing students would be employed by the facility on a full- or part-time basis and work in the role of a student nurse for compensation and, in conjunction with the student’s nursing education program, would receive academic credit toward meeting clinical requirements.

• Programs would be developed in collaboration with academic and practice partners
• Nursing faculty must be engaged to supervise the work of the students’ in these programs if credit is awarded for this work

Nursing students would be required to be enrolled in a State Board of Nursing approved (or its equivalent) RN or PN/VN pre-licensure program.
CLN’s Response:
Connecticut practice settings would dictate the employment relationship directly with the pre-licensure student, and the awarding of academic credit for such experiences (Capstone’s) would be decided upon by each academic institution in alignment with current University/College policies and practices.
Moreover, NOT all students may choose to engage in these academic/employment opportunities as their participation is NOT mandatory.

Benefits:
This opportunity will not only provide much needed clinical education to assist in meeting program requirements, it is an unparalleled opportunity for nursing students to assist the nation in a time of crisis and learn the principles of population health and emergency management. This academic-practice model demonstrates that in the midst of a periling disruption in the environment, such as COVID-19, continuous innovation can occur.


Policy Recommendations:
1. Health care facilities and nursing programs are encouraged to promulgate plans to take advantage of this opportunity and make every effort to reach out to eligible nursing students and inform them of the opportunity.
CLN’s Response:
Practice Setting will share opportunities with the CT Nurses’ Association, CT Center for Nursing Workforce & CT League for Nursing- RN Student Day Attendees if registered directly with CLN, CT Center for Nursing Workforce to promote; and via their organization’s website, social media, and other communication platforms.
2. Health care facilities and nursing programs are encouraged to collaborate to identify ways to accomplish appropriate faculty supervision of the nursing student-employee to achieve the final learning outcomes of the nursing program. For example,
CLN’s Response:
Options for Engagement & Collaboration:

• The healthcare facility hires the Nursing Program Faculty to oversee the nursing student/employee
• The Nurse Program Faculty holds a joint appointment between the School and the health care facility
• The health care facility provides Preceptors to oversee the nursing student/employee with Nursing Program Faculty oversight in accordance with established CT regulation.

The above examples illustrate a few ways in which the Connecticut School & Programs of Nursing can support growth and development of the incumbent:

• Nursing faculty can oversee the employee who is a current nursing student to ensure competence, confidence and safety in performing Nurse Tech tasks,
• Nursing faculty can engage in a joint appointment to oversee and support employed Graduate Nurses to ensure competence, confidence and safety in the role of a new nurse,
• Nurse faculty can act as a supervisor to practice nurse preceptors to ensure educational best-practices are applied to the newly licensed RN Residency and Onboarding experiences, and
• Nurse faculty can act as an extension of the practice-based nursing education departments servicing the entry level, experienced nurse and advanced practice nurse with safe and quality care.

3. Nursing program leaders/faculty are encouraged to work with health care facility representatives to align clinical skills and competencies with the nursing student-employee work role/responsibilities.
CLN’s Response:
CT’s Schools and Programs of Nursing utilize the Massachusetts Nurse of the Future Core Competencies (MA DOE, 2016) in their curriculum design as well as other best-practice competency models including QSEN.


4. Nursing student-employees must have planned clinical practice experiences that enable the students to attain new knowledge and demonstrate achievement of the final learning outcomes of the nursing program.
CLN’s Response:
The Schools and Programs of Nursing have compiled best-practices, virtual experiences, and simulation that have been distributed to all faculty to ensure that program objectives and outcomes will be met at the end of the final year of study and program completion. As Simulation is an everchanging modality for nursing education, it is imperative that Connecticut Colleges/Universities have the needed resources to ensure program excellence. Through the Healthcare Simulation Network of CT (HSNCT) supported by the Connecticut League for Nursing, leaders of the Simulation Centers can best identify and recommend the critical resources for a robust Simulated Learning experiences that will meet program outcomes at all level.


5. Nursing programs should consult with their State Board of Nursing to ensure clinical requirement regulations would be met with this opportunity and experience.
CLN’s Response:
Through the Council of Deans & Directors, the CT SBEN approved a motion during the March 18, 2020 Nursing Board meeting to approve the use of alternative clinical experiences for nursing students of advanced standing.
6. Nursing programs are responsible for informing nursing students of the risks and responsibilities associated with working in a healthcare facility at this time. Additionally, nursing programs are responsible for communicating with students about their rights to be protected from infection and their options for completing the clinical practice requirements of the nursing program.
CLN’s Response:
Schools and Program of Nursing will not be soliciting students directly to participate in these voluntary work experiences.
Endorsement by National Nursing Organizations and Associations:

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
• National League for Nursing (NLN)
• American Organization of Nursing Leadership (AONL)
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc (ACEN)
• Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN)
• NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA)
• American Nurses Association (ANA)

Dear Colleagues in Nursing,

The CLN Council of Deans and Directors had a strong and productive academic year. The Council, which is comprised of deans, directors and chairs from schools of nursing in the State of Connecticut representing all entries into nursing practice: LPN, Associate, Baccalaureate, LPN - RN, RN - BSN, Master’s and Doctoral levels, began the year engaging with our new meeting structure. We continued to meet regularly as a council of Deans and Directors, collecting and disseminating information on current issues and concerns that affect nursing education, nursing practice and health care in our state. Built on prior year relationship-building, this year we expanded our meeting schedule to include statewide nurse educators four times a year and the Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs).  This allowed the opportunity to expand our influence to ensure a robust nursing workforce for the state. 

• We conducted three joint meetings with the CHA educator group to facilitate dialog on common issues that affect both groups. From theses collaborative efforts, additional joint work groups were identified. These work groups focused on the following three issues: 1) why nurses are leaving the bedside, 2) what graduate education is available in the state and 3) create options for an innovative joint role utilizing both academia and practice settings. Each work group completed a comprehensive set of meetings and submitted recommendations to the larger group of nurse educators which were finalized on March 2, 2020. 

• The council, in fulfillment of our goal to establish stronger relationships with the CNO’s in the healthcare facilities, met with this group on June 18, 2019 and February 11, 2020. The product of the workgroups was shared to the great acceptance and enthusiasm of the CNOs.  A June 16, 2020 follow-up meeting is scheduled.

• The collaboration with CLN Leadership and the Connecticut Department of Public Health to implement, analyze and report out information gathered via the national minimum dataset for Education was conducted again this year. This dataset continues to capture both demographics for nursing faculty and students within the pre-licensure nursing pipelines, as well as, measures program capacities, enrollments, attrition and graduation rates.

• Continued to support CLN’s Healthcare Simulation Network of Connecticut (HSNCT) to develop and expand expertise and capabilities of our simulated teaching and learning directors, faculty and staff that will enhance our curriculum and student outcomes.

• The Council continues to support and promote CLN’s collaborative on- the-ground and online educational opportunities.  A special thank you to the faculty who developed and are teaching these courses to provide valuable educational opportunities for nurses across our state and nation:

• The Online Clinical Faculty Course since its inception has educated over 300 nurses from Connecticut and around the country. This Course is offered four times throughout the year.  Participants have provided very positive feedback about the Course and its content.

• The RN Refresher Course has been approved by several State Boards of Nursing, and the content has been approved by the ANCC for a total of 90 CEs for completion of the four modules.  This Course is offered four times throughout the year. 

• Standing items on the Council’s agenda such as educational initiatives from CLN, policy issues from CNA and updates from the Department of Public Health continue to be monitored and acted upon.

• Importantly, Deans and Directors mobilized collaborative efforts through the use of twice-weekly conference calls and email communication at the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We organized six (6) work groups, to address the myriad of issues brought about by COVID-19 to continue educating nursing students and ensure a robust nursing workforce for the state. 
  • Communication with the Board of Nurse Examiners (BOEN)
  • Academic Progression Policies
  • Workforce Evaluation
  • Transition to Practice issues
  • APRN Clinical Experiences
  • Summer Clinical Experiences for RN and LPN students

​As a collaborative group of nurse educators, the CLN Council of Deans & Directors commenced quickly and effectively to ensure quality throughout the academic year and continuity throughout this pandemic.  These efforts were built on a strong foundation of trust, collegiality and a shared mission to ensure quality nursing care for the State of Connecticut.  We wish to thank Marcia Proto for her many years of service to this organization, and the entire staff of CLN for their dedication and unwavering support to nursing education across the state of Connecticut and beyond!

Respectfully submitted,
CLN Council Co-Chairs
Meredith Wallace Kazer, PhD, APRN, FAAN, Fairfield University Egan School      
Janice Watts, MSN, RN, Goodwin University

The Finance Committee membership is comprised of the Officers (President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer) and the two appointed members of the Board who make up the membership of the Executive Committee.

It is the responsibility of the Finance Committee to monitor the monthly income and expenditures and recommend to the Board yearly budgets and long-term financial plans for the organization. The committee met and approved a budget for the next fiscal year, July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 which was presented to the full Board and approved in May 2020.  The budget will be presented to the general CLN membership at the Annual Meeting on June 23, 2020.

Overall, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, CLN has remained financially sound with positive cash flow to meet ongoing expenses to operate the CLN office and meet program plan needs.  Required financial documents (Federal 990 report) was placed on extension, were prepared and submitted on behalf of CLN by Seward & Monde, Certified Public Accountants, December 19, 2019 to meet federal filing requirements. 

Moreover, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CLN in March 2020 applied for and received grant funding from the two federal Small Business Administration opportunities including:

• The Disaster Relief Fund, and
• The Payroll Protection Program 

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila

​Sheila B. Solernou, MSN, RN
Treasurer & Chair of the Finance Committee

Accomplishments Realized by the Connecticut League for Nursing, Inc. in 2019-2020:
The Connecticut League for Nursing (CLN) is engaged in many activities and initiatives that took place in Connecticut and throughout the nation over the past year.  Due to a strong commitment by the CLN Board of Directors, Council of Deans & Directors, Health Simulation Network of Connecticut (HSNCT), and Program Committee, CLN was able to coordinate and delivers the following activities & services:

• CLN’s 39th Annual RN Student Day- Acts as a platform for students to engage in best practices for transitioning to the workforce- how to identify the practice setting that is the right fit, learn from previous graduates how to successfully make the “jump” to employment, and provides an opportunity to engage with over 40 regional organizations seeking to hire RNs and academic institutions offering graduate programs highlighting graduate nursing education options.

• Educated nurses in Connecticut and across the nation to assume the role of Clinical Faculty.  CLN’s 100% Online Clinical Faculty Courseis a faculty-led, six module 3-week course aimed to:
  • Increase the “clinical capacity” of our nursing schools and programs to support the expanding needs of student enrollments; as well as, act as a pipeline to develop full-time nursing faculty within their educational organizations;
  • Serve as a programmatic intervention required by academic accrediting agencies for the onboarding and orientation of new Clinical Faculty; and
  • Provide best-practice clinical faculty curriculum in the areas of:  How to effectively select student learning experiences & build positive relationships with clinical agency partners, use and impact of Pre- and Post- Conferences and debriefing on student learning, formative and summative evaluation to document student competencies and program outcomes, and legal and ethical considerations that arise in the clinical environment.

• Supported nurses in Connecticut and across the nation to re-enter the profession of nursing and transition back into practice via their participating in CLN’s 100% Online RN Refresher Course.  This 17-week faculty-led Course incorporates two virtual hospital experiences thereby eliminating the on-the-ground clinical module.  CLN has secured the “endorsements” from the Boards of Nursing in California, Connecticut, Ohio and Rhode Island to engage their nurses seeking to return to work.

• Coordinated the activities of The Healthcare Simulation Network of CT (HSNCT)- a statewide group of simulation educators and staff from the academic and practice settings who support the growth and development of evidenced based simulation education within the state of Connecticut. As a Network, they work together to promote Best Practice and to standardize the use of simulation pedagogy and strive to be the front runners in the theory and practice of healthcare education via simulation. The HSNCT meets quarterly to discuss topics related to:
  • Simulation pedagogy, training of new equipment, networking with one another to help expand the use of simulation, and
  • Promote the growing educational modality of technology in nursing & healthcare education

• Convened Connecticut’s academic nursing leaders from all schools & programs of nursing in Connecticut (PhD to LPN) on a monthly basis via the Council of Deans & Directors to address the issues facing nursing education including:
  • Curriculum transformation, accreditation, faculty development, student clinical placements, integration of evidence-based practice, Inter-professional education, and simulated learning, and
  • In early March 2020, came together on a weekly basis to proactively address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools and programs of nursing, transformed student clinical
  • experiences for pre and post-licensure students with the engagement of virtual simulation modalities to support on-time graduation, and explored partnership opportunities with practice settings and identified roles that nursing faculty could play to assist practices setting with transition to practice for nurse graduates.
  • Six workgroups were created and guidance, recommendations and frequent updates were shared with the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing, the CT Workforce Council and the Governor’s office.

• Hosts the interactive online Guide to Nursing Education at www.CTNursingGuide.com. The Portal is a “one stop shop” to support:
  • Prospective nursing students to explore the various education programs offered by CT nursing schools and programs- educational options are categorized by degree- LPN, ADN, BSN, Masters and Doctoral;
  • Practicing nurses and healthcare employers as a resource for professional development for their nursing staff for continued graduate and specialty education;
  • Workforce Development Boards to educate local residents interested in learning about the different roles & careers in nursing including available statewide services & resources; and
  • Individuals seeking a Mentor who would engage in discussing the nuances of the pre-licensure nursing education pathways and help guide the interested student in identifying which was the best nursing option that met their interests and ultimate employment goals.

• Continued to implement CLN Background Check & Drug Screening Services for our 9th year to support nursing and allied health students to enter clinical experiences.  Offer services to schools/practice settings to help ease the burden of Clinical Placement paperwork criteria including background checks & drug screens.
  • CLN partners with Employers Reference Source, Inc. (ERS) to provide these screenings and currently works with: Capital Community College, Central CT State University, Housatonic Community College, Gateway Community College, Goodwin College, Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Northwestern CT Community College, Quinebaug Valley Community College, Southern CT State University, the University of Bridgeport, and Western CT State University.

Healthcare Simulation Network of Connecticut (HSNCT)
The Healthcare Simulation Network of Connecticut (HSNCT) is a group of healthcare simulation administrators, educators, and staff dedicated to providing resources, professional development, and networking opportunities in the field of healthcare simulation throughout the State of Connecticut. The mission of the network is to enhance the use of simulation and fully integrate it into academic curricula and assessment of healthcare competencies.

The HSNCT began in 2013 and meetings are hosted quarterly at various healthcare/academic locations across Connecticut.  The network continues to grow and provides opportunities for members to collaborate, share knowledge of simulation design, development, implementation, and evaluation strategies, and encourage continued innovation in the way we educate our future healthcare professionals.

In response to member needs during the 2019-2020 academic year, the HSNCT addressed the following topics through presentations and round table discussion: guiding simulation programs in developing a mission and vision statement and a policy manual following the Society for Simulation in Healthcare’s Accreditation Standards 2016; Oxford Medical Simulation Virtual Reality Presentation; developing an escape room. Participation and attendance were comprised of healthcare educators with various levels of expertise in simulation. The plan for the last meeting of the academic year was a four-hour workshop presented by Avkin on simulated participants (patient actors). However, this was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is our plan to reschedule this presentation in the 2020-21 academic year.

To celebrate Healthcare Simulation Week 2019 sponsored by the Society for Simulation in Health, HSNCT created a CPR simulation and a Safety in the Home simulation. These were dispersed to the membership for use in their institutions to celebrate the week. The simulations could be modified as to the needs of each institution. Members were asked to share how their institution celebrated Healthcare Simulation Week 2019 at the September meeting.

The HSNCT initiatives for 2020-2021 will be guided by member needs and feedback gathered from our members and, will focus on building simulation best practices and promoting sustainability for simulation programs.
Membership in the network is open to those healthcare professionals involved in simulation teaching and learning within academia, practice and other organizations committed to excellence in Simulation. 

Respectfully submitted,

Co-Chairs:
Rose DeSiena, M.Ed., RN, CHSE, Simulation Coordinator, Southern Connecticut State University
Joan K. Graham, DNP, RN, CNE, CHSE, Professor of Nursing, Three Rivers Community College

Secretary:
Darlene Rogers, BSN, RN, Quinnipiac University