Investing in a Healthy Future: Strategies for Addressing the Nursing Shortage
Evaluation Highlights
NWHF has hired a team from Portland State University to evaluate this initiative, led by Sherril Gelmon, PhD. Broadly, Dr. Gelmon and her team are charged with evaluating: 1) the funding program, including the experience of grantees; and 2) the initiative's impact on nursing in Oregon and southwest Washington. The following are some highlights from the evaluation, to date:
- Several nursing education programs in Oregon report doubled enrollment, and increased enrollment of students from diverse backgrounds.
- The initiative has provided the framework for multiple organizations to work collectively to address the nursing shortage. For example, support for groups that convene nursing leaders and facilitate collaborations has helped position nursing leaders to take action on nursing education and nursing work force issues.
- Many of the projects supported through the nursing initiative have strong community connections, which has encouraged health care facilities and other health care providers to participate in this work. Some of these community partners have directly supported nursing education, for example. And the Foundation's support of the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN) has led to national recognition of its innovative recruitment campaigns and its leadership on developing work force strategies.
- Another major impact is the creation of what some call "The Oregon Model": a new model for the way that foundations can work collaboratively with grantees on specific issues. This model has been extended nationally via Partners Investing In Nursing's Future, a five-year, $10 million collaborative initiative between NWHF and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help local foundations invest in nursing issues in their communities.
- Work place issues and leadership development for nursing need more emphasis. These findings are informing the approach the Foundation will take in the final year of this initiative, as well as future program work in nursing.