News — AARP, AACN and the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of the AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have awarded nearly $275,000 to 12 projects offering promising solutions to strengthen and diversify the nursing workforce through innovative nurse recruitment and retention strategies that establish and sustain healthy, equitable work environments.
Strengthening the workforce and sustaining healthy, equitable work environments are key to addressing a shortage that has already resulted in the loss of 100,000 registered nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic due to stress, burnout and retirement. Another 600,000 nurses have reported intent to leave the workforce by 2027 – and many are concerned.
showed that nearly all responding adults (98%) say that nurses are vital to the health and well-being of the nation, and the vast majority (84%) recognize that the nursing shortage is critical and could negatively impact our population’s health. The survey also showed that 95% of responding adults believe more should be done to retain nurses, and 96% say more should be done to recognize the value of nurses.
This award recognizes that if health equity is to be realized, and if people are going to live their healthiest lives, ongoing support is required to ensure a strong nursing workforce and healthy, equitable work environments across all care settings where nurses practice.
Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPPS, chief clinical officer for AACN, said, "As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce, nurses are uniquely positioned to not only navigate today's challenges, but to shape the future of healthcare. Healthy work environments are crucial to those efforts, with far-reaching benefits for patients, families and communities.”
“The number of stressors on nurses keeps multiplying, and many of them have to do with the workplace itself,” said Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and director, AARP Public Policy Institute and chief strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving Initiatives. “Nurses are leaving the profession at alarming, unsustainable rates. These 12 projects are aimed at reversing this trend. We are optimistic they will lead to replicable strategies for healthier work environments and workforce recruitment and retention strategies.”
Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor, and the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, who chairs the Campaign’s Strategic Advisory Committee, said the following about the significance of the awards:
“Nurses are witnesses to or recipients of racism and discrimination in health care settings. Yet, nurses are in the best position to leverage their commitment, expertise and leadership to address these issues for patients, families and co-workers. Healthy, empowering and safe work environments are critical to supporting nurses’ efforts to achieve health equity. Each of these projects holds promise for doing just that.”
The funded projects are from California, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
The AARP Center for Health Equity through NursingSM administers the award program.
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with about 130,000 members and nearly 200 chapters in the United States. To achieve its vision of a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families, where nurses make their optimal contribution, AACN's advocacy priority is to establish and sustain healthy work environments that support nursing excellence.
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and RWJF. Through its state Action Coalitions, the Campaign works with policymakers, health care professionals, educators and business leaders to respond to the country’s increasing demand for safe, high-quality and effective health care. The Campaign’s vision is that everyone in America can live a healthier life, advanced by equity-minded nurses as essential and valued partners in providing care and promoting health equity and well-being.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656; 949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; x.com/aacnme
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