Current Initiatives for the CCNW

Enhancing the Healthcare Workforce in Connecticut
 

• Spearhead a statewide Healthcare Workforce Demand Initiative to secure workforce data from all Connecticut practice settings.
  • Implement a best-practice model developed by Washington’s Health Workforce Council
  • Collect, analyze and publish findings of this statewide data by: Facility Type, Region and Zip Code to define workforce challenges
  • Identify the current and future demand for nursing and healthcare roles across the care continuum
  • Produce outcomes that will directly inform organization and healthcare funders regarding the healthcare roles most in need of expansion to develop proactive education and employment strategies; thereby maximizing the impact of state and federal dollars within Connecticut by producing the employees who are in greatest demand by your local employers and identifying trends in the healthcare workforce to support future grant applications and/or initiatives.

Enhancing the Nursing Workforce In Connecticut

• Address the Aging of CT Workforce & Nursing Faculty through Data Gathering and Analysis-
  • To gain insights into understanding the CT Nursing Workforce by utilizing the national Minimum Data Sets for EDUCATION, SUPPLY and DEMAND. The Minimum Data Sets (MDSs) are created by the National FORUM of State Nursing Workforce Centers.
    • Implement and analyze the MDS for SUPPLY in partnership with the CT Department of Public Health Nurse via data gathered through the online Nurse Re-Licensure Process.  These data will help inform decisions made by CT Stakeholders when crafting statewide nursing workforce development plans. 
    • Engage with all the Schools & Programs of Nursing in CT to implement the MDS for EDUCATION to effectively identify nurse faculty & student demographics for pre- licensure RN and LPN programs in CT; as well as, the capacity of our schools & programs, attrition enrollments, and graduation rates. Publish a Statewide Report on an Annual Basis.
    • Support filling the pipeline of High School students wishing to pursue nursing education in Connecticut.  Promote CLN’s online Nursing Education Guide to high school guidance counselors and students via www.ctnursingguide.com.

• Identify Transition To Practice Priorities & Created Interventions to Support the Process- 
  • Champion collaborative with CCNW leadership, Versant, a national RN Residency Company, to create a Post-Acute Care RN Residency Program for new hires within the Long-Term Care Setting.
  • Actively seek out and support Federal, State and Workforce Development Board Programs that aid employers with attracting and retaining nurses within their healthcare settings
  • Partner with statewide Workforce Development Board to lend nursing expertise to healthcare workforce development initiatives
    
  • Provide fast-track educational opportunities to assist nurses at all levels with seamless transition between academic levels

• Promote Active Engagement, Working Relationships and Partnerships & Between School/Programs of Nursing and Practice Settings-
  • Engage the CLN Council of Deans & Directors and CHA Health Educators Workgroup to adopt the proprietary Statewide Online Student Clinical Placement System.
  • Implement a cost-effective and secure way to effectively manage and systematize the nursing student clinical placement process.
  • Provide services to schools/practice settings to help ease the burden of Clinical Placement paperwork criteria including background checks & drug screens