This report provides baseline workforce data and is created in collaboration between the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.  The most recent April 2021 Survey Report can be found at WWW.journalofnursingregulation.com

The Report highlights the demographics of RNS an LPNs across the nation. 
​
As you know, data without context, benchmarking and discussion & debrief with “intimate” stakeholders may not paint an accurate picture.

Although this report is a very robust reflection of employment of nurses across the country, the items included in the minimum data set for supply were created for the purposes of licensing and regulation and not truly designed to capture the nuances of an ever-changing nursing workforce.

Many forecasting models used to project demand and future supply are based on employment patterns in the past.  You know better than I… that this no longer holds true, Nurses do not get hired by one institution right out of school and spend their entire careers with that employer.  They move constantly and cause what is now termed as “The Churn” .  Researchers are still trying to get a hold of this phenomena and incorporate it into new forecasting models to better align our supply projections.

Register to attend - engage.axxess.com/HH-Staffing-Trends-2021.html

By Cheryl Green, PhD, DNP, RN, LCSW, CNL, CNE, ACUE, MAC, FAPA

Disparities in healthcare arise when there is an imbalance between opportunities to achieve optimal healthcare with access, education, and financial means. However, the difficult subject of health disparities in healthcare and its historical origins demonstrate that culture and race may contribute to health crises of minority groups within the United States. Educating vulnerable populations on making lifestyle modifications and reducing stress without educating healthcare professionals about increasing their awareness of hidden biases, prejudgment, and discrimination, will allow health disparities to remain.

Examining and Solving Health Disparities in the United States: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a critical reference book that provides discussion on the topic of inequities in healthcare that impact health disparities and serves to increase awareness on these issues. The author particularly explores health disparities from a unifying perspective that supports the understanding of why health disparities occur and how an increase in the awareness, education, and confrontation of discriminatory acts can help make changes at the organizational and societal levels. Covering topics that include cultural clashes, equity, healthcare delivery, and healthcare accessibility, this book is essential for government officials, policymakers, medical administrators, medical professionals, medical boards and directors, researchers, academicians, and students involved in gender studies, cultural studies, social justice, socioeconomics, ethics and law, government, medicine, public health, psychology, sociology, and more.

Topics Covered
The many academic areas covered in this publication include, but are not limited to:

• Accessibility
• Cultural Clash
• Culture and Race
• Equity
• Grassroots Community Collaboratives
• Health Disparities
• Health Literacy
• Healthcare Delivery
• Healthcare Systems
• History of Health Disparity
• Psychological Implications

It is time for LIGHTS, CAMERA & ACTION and shine a spotlight on CT Nurses!
​
As you know, the Connecticut League for Nursing (CLN) and the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce (CCNW) were the catalysts to engage the country music duo, Brown & Gray, to write and perform a song dedicated to celebrate Connecticut nurses and those nurses around the globe. 

The acoustic version of the song entitled, You Didn’t have To, was premiered by Brown & Gray at CLN’s 40th Annual RN Student Day that took place virtually in November 2020.  To amplify the song on a national scale, CLN and CCNW collaborated with a national organization called NursesEverywhere; and in December 2020, a music video was created to spread the word!

Now, NursesEverywhere and country music stars, Brown & Gray, invite you to participate in the official #ThankANurseContest, to recognize all the countless contributions nurses have made to their patients, colleagues, families and to the profession of nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NursesEverywhere is kicking off a 6-week campaign to engage supporters of nursing on both the national and global scale to create a video that showcases your thanks and appreciation to recognize the contributions of today’s nurse. Prizes will be awarded for the top video entries.

It’s EASY as 1-2-3!

1. Download Brown & Gray’s single, “You Didn’t Have To” at www.brownandgraymusic.com.  It was written specifically to celebrate nurses.
2. Gather your Crew, listen to the lyrics to the song, and arrange for some fun and fancy dance moves.
3. Grab a phone and record those fun and fancy moves!

 
When finished, upload your recorded videos -whether it’s a TikTok-like challenge, a dance, a heartwarming message of gratitude or the images of the nurses that have made an impact in your life, we will leave it up to you - no later than May 15, 2021 directly to the Challenge Site:
 
https://www.nurseseverywhere.com/videos/create-video?video_sharing=true&article_id=6&profile_id=1
 
The official submission period will begin on April 1, 2021 and winners will be announced at the end of National Nurses Month at the end of May 2021. Brown & Gray have graciously authorized the use of the single for the contest, so no worries about copywrite infringement for this contest!

This pilot study investigated increasing nurse resiliency utilizing a toolkit of stress-reducing interventions on medical-surgical units at 4 hospitals.

​Mintz-Binder, Ronda DNP, RN, CNE; Andersen, Susan PhD, APRN, FNP-BC; Sweatt, Laura MSN, RN, NPD-BC; Song, Huaxin PhD Exploring Strategies to Build Resiliency in Nurses During Work Hours, JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration: April 2021 - Volume 51 - Issue 4 - p 185-191
doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000996 

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