The New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN) has published its 2024 New Jersey Nursing Data & Analysis report, which utilizes data from 2021 through 2023.
The report highlights that multiple reports have been released nationally over the past two or three years, which send the same message: "We need to strategically rebuild the nursing workforce, which has been severely impacted by the pandemic." Three commonalities identified among the reports contributing to the staffing crisis are:
- Early retirements in nursing along with the anticipated projections
- Pandemic burnout
- Interrupted work patterns and staffing shortages, which create a high demand for nurses.
As shared in the report, "The population is aging with more chronic conditions while the supply of nurses is falling behind. It is imperative that we ensure a robust healthcare system that results in positive health outcomes for our residents. This requires a multi-pronged approach of both major investments and innovative solutions."
Key drivers for improving the healthcare system, as identified within the report, are:
- Expanding the nursing education through investments in:
- Faculty
- Clinical Sites
- Equipment/Technology
- Investing in retention by:
- Supporting the well-being of nurses and reframing from resilience of individuals to resilience as an organizational problem
- Investing in the transition to practice for new graduates across settings
- Promoting career opportunities
- Ensuring adequate staffing
- Creating new models of care delivery using virtual platforms and other strategies
- Ensuring healthy work environments for all providers
- Implementing policies to ensure all nurses work to the full extent of their licensure and education, such as:
- Removing APN restrictions
- Re-evaluating the team-based approach to care
- Utilizing technology and telehealth solutions
- Engaging retired nurses to return to the workforce
- Reviewing outdated regulatory and legislative policies that impact health care
Click here to access the report itself, and click here to read more on this story.
