Delaware Archives | Campaign for Action / Future of Nursing Mon, 29 Apr 2024 14:34:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0.10 Delaware Innovation Grant Featured in NASN School Nurse  /delaware-innovation-grant-featured-in-nasn-school-nurse/ Thu, 22 Dec 2022 12:51:10 +0000 /?p=40589 The BSD Lifesavers Middle School Program, recipient of a 2021 Campaign for Action Innovation Grant, has been chosen for a feature article in the peer-reviewed clinical journal, NASN School Nurse. The article, Moving Upstream to Address Health Inequity- A Middle School Program to Introduce Students to a Career in Nursing is can be found here:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1942602X221133125 and will be open […]

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The BSD Lifesavers Middle School Program, recipient of a 2021 Campaign for Action Innovation Grant, has been chosen for a feature article in the peer-reviewed clinical journal, NASN School Nurse. The article, Moving Upstream to Address Health Inequity- A Middle School Program to Introduce Students to a Career in Nursing is can be found here:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1942602X221133125 and will be open access for 60 days. 

As the featured article, the authors describe the project in a podcast which can be found on the  NASN podcast page and on the journal’s homepage in the “Browse by” section under the Podcasts tab. It will also be added to the article as supplemental material by the SAGE production team. 

The BSD Lifesavers program will continue this year with support from the Delaware Nurses Action Coalition and with funding from our community partners, Christiana Care, the University of Delaware School of Nursing and the Brandywine School District. 

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School Program Provides Early Exposure to Nursing /school-program-provides-early-exposure-to-nursing/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:11:59 +0000 /?p=39770 As its 2021 Nursing Innovations Fund project, Delaware’s Brandywine School District (BSD) piloted an afterschool program, BSD’s Lifesavers, to increase awareness of nursing careers among students from underrepresented communities. Working with key stakeholders, project staff constructed and administered a program focused on raising awareness of middle schoolers, especially students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, […]

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As its 2021 Nursing Innovations Fund project, Delaware’s Brandywine School District (BSD) piloted an afterschool program, BSD’s Lifesavers, to increase awareness of nursing careers among students from underrepresented communities. Working with key stakeholders, project staff constructed and administered a program focused on raising awareness of middle schoolers, especially students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, low-income communities, and boys about potential careers in nursing.

The school district developed a video about the program, watch it below.

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Delaware Support Nurse Mental Health and Wellbeing /delaware-support-nurse-mental-health-and-wellbeing/ Mon, 16 May 2022 15:31:05 +0000 /?p=39070 This press release was initially posted on the Delaware Nurses’ Association website. NEWARK, DE – May 11, 2022 – The Delaware Nurses Association (DNA) announced it will receive $500,000.00 in state American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a capital project to support nurse’s mental health and overall wellbeing. This project will be led by […]

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This press release was initially posted on the Delaware Nurses’ Association website.

NEWARK, DE – May 11, 2022 – The Delaware Nurses Association (DNA) announced it will receive $500,000.00 in state American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a capital project to support nurse’s mental health and overall wellbeing. This project will be led by DNA and the Delaware Action Coalition. The Delaware Action Coalition is co-led by Elizabeth “Beth” Mattey, MSN, RN, NCSN, FNASN and Christopher E. Otto, MSN, RN, CHFN, PCCN, CCRN. The state coalition is an extension of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based on the Future of Nursing consensus study from the National Academy of Medicine. Additional partners in this capital project will be announced as the project advances.

There are over 22,000 licensed nurses in Delaware, the largest of any licensed health profession in Delaware. Delaware’s nurses work in every setting health care is delivered, and for the last 20 years, the public has ranked nursing as the profession with the highest honesty and ethical standards. These funds will be utilized to provide free, easy to access, evidence-based and comprehensive tools and programming to support Delaware’s nurses. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significantly altered workforce dynamics, a shifting social contract between the public and nurses, and strained work environments have left Delaware’s nurses exhausted and searching for support.

These funds will build and sustain capital technology and programming with an overarching theme of post-traumatic recovery and growth, presented as Healthy Nurse Healthy Delaware. This model is based on a national framework (American Nurses Association’s Healthy Nurse Healthy NationTM) and other state models, integrating evidence into practical solutions and practice.

Christopher E. Otto, MSN, RN, CHFN, PCCN, CCRN, Executive Director, stated, “These funds are critical to supporting the largest sector of Delaware’s health care workforce. This capital project will advance existing and equip nurses with new knowledge, tools and support to advance their own health, resulting in improved care and outcomes for those we serve. Delaware is a national leader for demonstrating their commitment to the nursing workforce.”

“Nurses, like all Delawareans, have been impacted by COVID-19 and many other issues in all settings where they practice,” stated Elizabeth “Beth” Mattey, MSN, RN, NCSN, FNASN. “With these capital funds, we will be able to reach Delaware’s nurses and let them know they are not alone. Their colleagues are here to support their individual and collective recovery and growth. Together, we are stronger than COVID-19.”

The Delaware Action Coalition and DNA express their profound gratitude to Governor John Carney, Lieutenant Governor Dr. Bethany Hall-Long, the Governor’s Office, the Lt. Governor’s Office, Director A.J. Schall, Bill Lindewirth and Kyle Pritchard for providing this grant and ongoing support.
Questions about this grant may be directed to contactdna@denurses.org.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE NURSES ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1911, DNA is the premier leading professional association bringing together, and advancing the profession of nursing for over 100 years, creating healthier communities for all Delawareans. We are the only professional association in Delaware representing all Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. We continue to advance health through the art and science of nursing supported by diverse members, advocacy, influence, professional development, generation of new knowledge, communication, service, and history.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE ACTION COALITION
Founded in 2011, the mission of the Delaware Action Coalition is to improve the current and future health of all Delawareans through a collaborative effort by an interdisciplinary team of nurses, health care providers and community partners, positioning nurses as leaders in the transformation of health care in Delaware.

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Campaign Names Winners of 2021 Nursing Innovations Fund Award /campaign-names-winners-of-2021-nursing-innovations-fund-award/ /campaign-names-winners-of-2021-nursing-innovations-fund-award/#respond Thu, 07 Oct 2021 14:28:41 +0000 /?p=37013 The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), has announced that six nurse-led projects will receive Nursing Innovations Fund awards of up to $25,000 each. The projects submitted by the Campaign’s state-based coalitions all serve to strengthen nursing’s role in building a Culture […]

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Map depicting the 2021 Nursing Innovations Fund awardees and the previous awardees

The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), has announced that six nurse-led projects will receive Nursing Innovations Fund awards of up to $25,000 each. The projects submitted by the Campaign’s state-based coalitions all serve to strengthen nursing’s role in building a Culture of Health and promoting health equity by addressing societal barriers to health and well-being, including structural racism. The projects are described below.

The winning projects are from Delaware, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia, and were selected based on offering replicable strategies that help nurses promote health equity and well-being, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders. In fact, each of the 2021 Nursing Innovations Fund projects secured dollar-to-dollar matching funds from local and state partners as a condition of the award, which prioritizes coalition building to achieve sustainable change. As of 2020, the Campaign’s state coalitions have raised more than $93 million from community partners.

“This award’s focus on health equity has never felt more urgent,” said Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior adviser for nursing at RWJF and director of the Campaign for Action. “This pandemic has put a spotlight on the inequities in our healthcare system. People of color, with lower incomes and those living in remote communities have gotten sick and died in the greatest numbers. Nurses remain on the front lines as trusted providers of care, and they are stepping up to innovate ways to build more equity into the system.”

“It is remarkable to me that despite the unprecedented pressure nurses are under during this pandemic, they are prioritizing the critical work that is needed to create structures to make health care more equitable in every way,” said Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and director of the AARP Public Policy Institute, and chief strategist at the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and RWJF, which coordinates the Campaign for Action. “We received impressive proposals from all over the country, including some places hardest hit by COVID. I feel so much pride in our profession right now.”

“When nurses reflect the communities they serve, you see significant improvements in health and health equity,” said Eric J. Williams, DNP, RN, FAAN, interim associate dean of health sciences, nursing program director at Santa Monica College, and co-chair of the EDISC. “No one is better positioned than nurses to innovate ways to make their profession more inclusive and diverse.”

The Campaign’s Nursing Innovations Fund was created in 2018 to support work of its state Action Coalitions and allies that inform and influence policy, produce replicable strategies that place nurses in positions as essential partners in providing care, and strategically involve a diversity of stakeholders. This competition was limited to the Action Coalitions or organizations designated by Action Coalitions and required applicants to raise funds to match the award dollars. To date, Action Coalitions and their allies in 23 states have received Nursing Innovations Fund awards to build healthier communities through nursing.

The winners and an overview of each of their projects are listed below:

Delaware

Title: Nursing in the 21st Century: Exposing Middle School Students to a Career in Nursing

School nurses from Delaware’s Brandywine School District will pilot an afterschool program that aims to increase awareness of nursing career pathways among students from underrepresented communities. Working with key stakeholders, the project staff will construct and administer a program that focuses on informing middle schoolers, especially students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, low-income communities, and boys about potential career opportunities in nursing. The pilot will be administered in three district middle schools during the project year and shared with educators across the state.

Kentucky

Title: School Nurses to BARN Camp for the Mental Health and Wellness of Kentucky Youth

The Kentucky Nurses Action Coalition will partner with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing to implement a mental health and wellness training for school nurses with the goal of decreasing youth suicide in the state, which far exceeds the national average. This project expands on the Bringing Action Right Now, or BARN, initiative aimed at addressing health equity via social isolation awareness and training. Project leaders will recruit 100 school nurses to participate in the program and will work with a variety of community stakeholders, including the Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Montana

Title: Coalition Catalyst: Building Health Equity in Montana

The Montana Center to Advance Health Through Nursing (MT CAHN) aims to advance health equity by involving two nurse leaders on the newly formed Montana Health Equity Task Force. This task force was created to influence policy and guide programs that will improve health equity for Montanans, and the nurse leaders will provide a nursing lens and act as a liaison for the state’s nursing community supporting local level, health equity-focused strategies. Additionally, the nurse leaders will utilize the Campaign for Action’s Health Equity Toolkit to help develop and deliver a health equity track at the MT CAHN Nursing Summit in June 2022.

Pennsylvania

Title: Pennsylvania Action Coalition Cohort of Exchanged Learning (PA-ACCEL) Mentorship Program

The Pennsylvania Action Coalition (PA-AC) will expand its current mentoring program that aims to equip nurses from underrepresented backgrounds with the tools they need to be successful nursing students and nursing professionals. Key components of the 2021-2022 program include mentorship matching from the PA-AC’s Nurse Diversity Council, along with exposure to public health advocacy to inspire health equity and justice. Additionally, the coalition will enhance and promote its PA-ACCEL Toolkit as a model for replication nationwide.

Utah

Title: Building Diversity and Health Equity Competence into the Pipeline of Utah’s Nursing Workforce

The Utah Action Coalition for Health, working with Holy Cross Ministries, will pursue a two-part project designed to build diversity and health equity competence in Utah’s nursing workforce pipeline. The project will increase exposure to nursing careers in predominantly Hispanic communities, and embed Certified Health Workers’ knowledge of health equity/disparities into Certified Nursing Assistant training programs. The Campaign for Action’s Health Equity Toolkit will be interwoven in the project’s implementation phase, and a steering committee composed of key partners will be created for guidance. The project will focus on two school districts initially, with the opportunity for expansion later.

West Virginia

Title: Health Equity Skill Building Multimedia Continuing Education Pilot Project

The Future of Nursing West Virginia (FONWV) will develop a Health Equity Skills Building Multimedia Continuing Education (CE) package for nurses and nursing students. It will focus on the multicultural needs of Appalachian and minority communities in rural and underserved areas of the state and cover systemic racism, implicit bias, equity in care for select populations (starting with LGBTQIA), improving culturally competent care, and building effective cross-cultural communication. The goal is to improve nurse and student nurse skills in building healthier relationships that address disparities, particularly related to stress and trauma.

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About the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action

The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is a national initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and RWJF, working to implement the National Academy of Medicine’s evidence-based recommendations on the future of nursing. The Campaign includes Action Coalitions in nearly every state and the District of Columbia and a wide range of health care professionals, consumer advocates, policy-makers, and the business, academic, and philanthropic communities. The Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and RWJF, serves as the coordinating entity for the Campaign. Learn more at www.campaignforaction.org. Follow on Twitter at @Campaign4Action and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CampaignForAction.

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Delaware Recognizes APRN Full Practice Authority /delaware-recognizes-aprn-full-practice-authority/ /delaware-recognizes-aprn-full-practice-authority/#respond Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:32:37 +0000 /?p=36322 Delaware’s nearly 1 million residents now have improved access to primary health care from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), thanks to two bills signed into law August 4, 2021 by Gov. John Carney (D). The first, HB 141, authorizes nurse practitioners and all APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training […]

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Delaware’s nearly 1 million residents now have improved access to primary health care from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), thanks to two bills signed into law August 4, 2021 by Gov. John Carney (D).

The first, HB 141, authorizes nurse practitioners and all APRNs to practice to the full extent of their education and training by removing a requirement to have an oversight contract with a physician, though employers and health care organizations may still require it. In addition, the bill grants exclusive licensure authority to the Board of Nursing, removing unnecessary barriers.  The second (HB 21) adds Delaware to the APRN interstate licensing compact, which will allow APRNs multistate licensure once seven states enact the legislation. To date, only two states have passed the legislation, North Dakota and Delaware, while 37 states are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact for RNs and LPNs.

Delaware is now one of 24 states, plus the District of Columbia, to recognize nurse practitioners’ full practice authority.

“This is an historical event for Delaware nursing history and APRN licensure,” said Pamela C. Zickafoose, EdD, MSN, RN, executive director of the Delaware Board of Nursing. “APRNs will be able to provide healthcare services that our citizens need. New practices will open to bridge current gaps and improve access to primary care providers. APRN compact licensure will allow increased cross-border practice, facilitating nurse mobility and telehealth.”

The Delaware Nurses Association also worked closely to champion the legislation, and AARP Delaware was also a supporter.

We supported House Bills 21 and 141 because they will improve Delawareans’ access to primary healthcare by removing outdated restrictions on APRNs, said Sheila Grant, director of advocacy for AARP Delaware, which supported both bills. “We have decades of research showing that APRNs are highly-educated, qualified clinicians, who provide safe, quality care. It fits right in with our mission of ensuring people have more choices as to how they age.”

Grant also noted that AARP recently fielded a survey of Delaware residents, and 86 percent said having health care services in their community was important to them. These bills will help to ensure that Delawareans have access to a qualified health care provider in their communities.

Delaware’s Lt. Governor, Bethany Hall-Long, is also a nurse. She presided over the state Senate when that chamber approved both measures by 20-1 votes. A long-time champion for APRN full practice authority, Hall-Long celebrated the moment with the bills’ sponsors, supporters and advocates.

Supporting organizations also included: Alliance for Connected Care; Amazon Web Services; American Association of Nurse Practitioners Delaware Representative (HB 141); American Nurses Association (HB 141); American Organization of Nurse Leaders; American Telemedicine Association; Delaware Academy of Medicine and the Delaware Public Health Association; Delaware Association for Home and Community Care; Delaware Association of Nurse Anesthetists; Delaware Board of Nursing; Delaware Coalition of Nurse Practitioners; Delaware Division of Professional Regulation; Delaware Healthcare Association; Delaware Health Care Facilities Association; Delaware Nurses Association; Delaware Organization of Nurse Leaders.

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How Closely Do Delaware’s RN Graduates Reflect the State’s Diversity? /resource/closely-delawares-rn-graduates-reflect-states-diversity/ Mon, 03 Feb 2020 13:39:03 +0000 /?post_type=resource&p=15360 This slide compares the racial and ethnic composition of Delaware’s general population with that of its RN graduates of pre-licensure nursing education programs 2011 to 2018.

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This slide compares the racial and ethnic composition of Delaware’s general population with that of its RN graduates of pre-licensure nursing education programs 2011 to 2018.

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Collective Impact in Sussex County, Delaware /collective-impact-in-sussex-county-delaware/ /collective-impact-in-sussex-county-delaware/#respond Fri, 07 Jun 2019 02:51:47 +0000 /?p=30066 Collective Impact is working in Sussex County, Delaware according to Megan Williams, DNP, APRN, FAANP, Board President, Sussex County Health Coalition and Vice President of the Delaware Healthcare Association and Peg Geisler, Executive Director,  Sussex County Health Coalition and Owner of PMG Consulting LLC.  At the Delaware Nursing Summit 2019, these dynamic leaders described how […]

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Collective Impact is working in Sussex County, Delaware according to Megan Williams, DNP, APRN, FAANP, Board President, Sussex County Health Coalition and Vice President of the Delaware Healthcare Association and Peg Geisler, Executive Director,  Sussex County Health Coalition and Owner of PMG Consulting LLC.  At the Delaware Nursing Summit 2019, these dynamic leaders described how a community works together to create meaningful change in the lives of individuals living in Sussex County.

In 2011, a collaborative effort of community members, community resources and area hospitals came together to form the group Healthier Sussex County.  Its mission was to make Sussex County one of the healthiest counties in the nation.  Beebe Healthcare, Bayhealth, and Nanticoke Health Services as well as several other health and community organizations worked to support all Sussex County residents in its quest to achieve better health.  Today, they continue to work towards meeting their objectives:

  • To identify and address health disparities
  • To identify and address health education needs
  • To positively impact health behavior and outcomes

County Health Rankings  were examined as Healthier Sussex County researched what was needed to improve health outcomes in Sussex County.  The Rankings were based on a model of population health that emphasizes the many factors that if improved help make communities healthier places to live, learn, work and play.

Peg Geisler, Executive Director of the Sussex County Health Coalition

The Rankings use a model that attributes health outcomes to a variety of factors. The physical environment where one lives affects health outcomes by 10%.  This includes the built environment- whether there are open walkable spaces, playgrounds, and safe housing. It also includes the quality of this environment.  Health behaviors such as tobacco use, diet, exercise, and alcohol use contribute 30% towards one’s health outcome.   Surprisingly, clinical health care such as access to care and the quality of health care contribute just 20% towards a healthy outcome for populations.  The largest impact on one’s overall health and well-being are the social and economic factors in one’s life.  These factors contribute 40% towards one’s overall health and well-being, including education, employment, income, community safety, and family and social support.

Understanding the powerful effect these factors have on an individual’s health, Healthier Sussex County recognized the need to reach beyond the health organizations and engage more members of the community. In 2006, the Sussex County Health Coalition (SCHC) was established  to involve the entire Sussex County community in a collaborative, family-focused effort to improve the health of children, youth and families in Sussex County Delaware.  Linking Healthier Sussex County with SCHC was a natural fit.

SCHC currently engages with over 200 agencies and organizations. They all have a common agenda which is to improve health outcomes in Sussex County Delaware. SCHC serves as the backbone agency in this Collective Impact Model.   Collective Impact is the term used to describe groups who work together to make systemic change in communities on a large scale.  The groups share a common goal and are supported by a “backbone agency” that has the ability to coordinate all participating organizations.  SCHC coordinates and communicates the efforts and actions for the initiatives and is the backbone agency in Sussex County.

The SCHC has five committees who meet separately and as a whole they identify community needs and concerns.  These five committees include the:

These committees work to align within targeted areas of need using local data and stakeholder feedback to verify the need.  Committees plan how to address these needs using promising practices found either locally or nationally. They then seek support from strategic partners in the community. The SCHC assists the committees in implementing strategies, programs and/or collaborations.

Nurses are leaders and members of the SCHC.  Over 100 nurses from diverse backgrounds participate in the community-based committees as well as community interfacing initiatives.  This community-based collaboration is an arena where nurses bring their unique voice to create change as part of a larger body of stakeholders.

The Healthier Sussex County Task Force and SCHC have worked together to develop a Community Health Needs Assessment shared process with the three major health organizations of Nanticoke, Beebe and Bayhealth.  The Community Health Needs Assessment is required to be developed every three years as a component of the Affordable Care Act.  This formal, structured review process helps health care professionals and leaders to better understand the unmet needs of a population.  Once this information is collected, hospitals must adopt and implement a strategic plan to address unmet community health needs as well as make these plans known to the public.  In addition, Healthier Sussex County Task Force and SCHC  collaborate to address unmet mental health needs and known disparities in breast and lung cancer screenings.

In 2018, Sussex County Delaware was ranked the healthiest county in Delaware!  Recognizing such success, Peg Geisler noted that “this 2018 ranking could potentially be contributed to better inter-organizational communication, structured collaboration and increased alignment of work to improve the health and wellness of our citizens.”

If you would like more information or would like to be involved, visit the website:  https://www.sussexcoalition.org/schc/getting-involved/

 

 

 

 

 

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Rita Landgraf and the State of Health in Delaware /rita-landgraf-and-the-state-of-health-in-delaware/ /rita-landgraf-and-the-state-of-health-in-delaware/#respond Tue, 21 May 2019 02:47:34 +0000 /?p=29909 This blog is the second in a series from the Delaware Nursing Summit 2019 and provides highlights from speaker, Rita Landgraf. Former Cabinet Secretary of Delaware Health and Social Services Rita Landgraf reminded more than 100 nurses from across the state of the powerful AND broad definition of health. “Health is a state of complete […]

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This blog is the second in a series from the Delaware Nursing Summit 2019 and provides highlights from speaker, Rita Landgraf.

Former Cabinet Secretary of Delaware Health and Social Services Rita Landgraf reminded more than 100 nurses from across the state of the powerful AND broad definition of health.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease…it is a resource for everyday life…and is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief or economic and social condition” (WHO, 1948).”

Her remarks set the stage for Delaware nurses to determine a collective agenda where nurses are an essential partner in achieving health and well-being for all Delawareans.  Landgraf is the co-lead for the Delaware Nurses Action Coalition and made her remarks at the 2019 Delaware Nursing Summit on May 15, 2019.

In 2018, Delaware ranked 31st overall among US states in America’s Health Rankings (AHR), which assigns a score based on a combination of health determinants and health outcomes. Factors influencing this ranking include Delaware’s poor ranking for air pollution, children living in poverty and those affected by violent crime.  Delaware ranks in the bottom half of states in overdose deaths, cancer deaths, diabetes, and deaths from cardiovascular disease.  Delaware ranks 48th in infant mortality.  Delaware’s low health ranking is incongruous with Delaware’s #3 rank in per capita health spending.

While clinical care is vitally important, only a small portion (15–20%) of overall health and longevity is a result of clinical care.  Social, physical, and economic environments and conditions, collectively referred to as the “social determinants of health,” have a far greater impact on how long and how well people live than medical care. Landgraf emphasized that health inequity is a “difference which is considered unnecessary, avoidable, unfair and unjust (Whitehead, 1992).

 She continued noting that children whose parents have not completed high school are more likely to live in substandard housing, with exposed garbage and in neighborhoods that are unsafe.  They also are less likely to have sidewalks, parks or playgrounds, recreation centers, or a library. These environmental factors have multi-generational impacts on one’s ability to achieve health and overall well-being.

Landgraf noted that a growing movement is tackling these issues in innovative ways by connecting two sectors—community development and health—that have previously worked in relative isolation from each other.  The Delaware Center for Health Innovation (DCHI), a non-profit organization of multiple stakeholders, seeks to transform health to achieve better health outcomes and better patient experiences while lowering cost. DCHI’s focus has been on a payment model of care that moves away from episodic care and supports a holistic approach.  DCHI also looks to strengthen primary care, advance behavioral health integration, and actively engage patients and consumers in their care .   Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD), is an offshoot of DCHI’s Healthy Neighborhoods Committee and is an intentional community model to promote health equity by aligning and investing in communities experiencing health inequities.

The Healthy Communities Data Portal, allows users to explore data about the factors that influence health. Delawareans can search health indicators by street address, ZIP code, census tract, neighborhood, town/city, county and state.  In addition, comparisons of health measures can be made between communities, or communities can compare their health measures to county or state health measures.  Data trends over time can also be examined.  

Given the state of health in Delaware and the current initiatives, Landgraf says nurses must be at the table.  In concluding her remarks, she shared a quote from Susan Hassmiller, RWJF senior advisor for nursing:

“As the healthcare professionals most actively engaged in direct patient care, nurses are positioned to provide leadership in all healthcare areas, including developing systems to reduce medical errors, improving quality, providing better care coordination, increasing access to care, and averting workforce shortages. Yet clinical experience isn’t enough. To serve as successful and knowledgeable board or committee members, nurses must be familiar with governance, strategy, fundraising, financial systems, health law, and policy. Always say “yes” when asked to be at the table. If you believe you’re ready but haven’t been asked, then ask to be involved in a board or committee of interest.”

Rita Landgraf is the Director of UD Partnership for Healthy Communities; Professor of practice and distinguished health and social services administrator in residence with the College of Health Sciences.

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Delaware Nursing Summit 2019: Setting the Nursing Agenda with Pat Polansky /delaware-nursing-summit-2019-setting-the-nursing-agenda-with-pat-polansky/ /delaware-nursing-summit-2019-setting-the-nursing-agenda-with-pat-polansky/#respond Fri, 17 May 2019 13:38:20 +0000 /?p=29865   This is the first in a series describing highlights from information shared by speakers at the Summit   “I am a health care provider.”   “I am a nurse…” began Pat Polansky, co-director of the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation AND […]

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This is the first in a series describing highlights from information shared by speakers at the Summit

 

“I am a health care provider.”   “I am a nurse…” began Pat Polansky, co-director of the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation AND a fellow Delaware nurse.  Pat opened the first Delaware Nursing Summit sponsored by the Delaware Nurses Action Coalition informing attendees about the work of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action.  The event attracted over 100 nurses from across the state to examine opportunities for nurses as leaders to improve the health and health care of all Delawareans. It was held at the new Tower at STAR on the campus of the University of Delaware..

 

Pat noted there are 51 Action Coalitions across the country, creating a movement where nurses are essential partners in a rapidly changing health care system.  She cautioned that the speed of change is unlike anything she has ever seen in health care in her 50 years of nursing and nurses must be at the table.

 

The Campaign for Action has achieved critical benchmarks set by the 2010 IOM Future of Nursing Report:  Leading Change, Advancing Health, positioning nurses to meet the demands now facing health care.  These include:

 

  • Laws have changed in 24 states so that consumers have better access to health care.   The US Department of Government Affairs now allows APRN’s to practice without restrictions at VA facilities.

 

  • The Campaign promotes nurses as leaders in health, bringing experience and a unique perspective to meet the needs of consumers. The Nurses on Boards Coalition was founded to place more nurses in decision-making positions and now reports that 5,600 nurses are serving on boards.

 

  • The diversity of the nursing workforce has improved to better match the diversity in our country. There has been a 43% increase in the number of minority RN graduates and a 29% increase in the number of graduates who are male.

 

  • Nurses graduating with a BSN increased by 10% from 2010 to 2017 and the number of RN to BSN graduate nurses has tripled!

 

  • The number of nurses with doctoral degrees has more than doubled, exceeding the goal set by the Future of Nursing report.

 

  • A comprehensive plan to implement a system to accurately capture the nursing workforce was developed in 2016. (2019, Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. Campaign Successes.)

 

Pat introduced the new initiative from the National Academy of Science Engineering and Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which is to chart the course for nursing through 2030.  The nursing profession has focused inward over the past ten years and now the emphasis will look outward.  The expectation is that nurses will be leaders in creating a culture of health in our communities by reducing health disparities  and improving the health and well-being of all in the U.S. (The Future of Nursing 2020-2030).

 

This is a big goal, with the full support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine explained Pat.  There are over 20,000 nurses in Delaware and nurses are the largest group of health care providers in the United States.  Together we will create a culture of health and well-being for all Americans.  We are Delaware nurses and this is our call to action- TOGETHER WE WILL!

 

The Delaware Nursing Summit was made possible with support from our sponsors:  Christiana Health Care System, Genesis Healthcare, Nemours/Alfred I. Dupont Children’s Hospital, St. Francis/Trinity Healthcare and the University of Delaware College of Nursing.

 

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Delaware Nursing Summit May 15, 2019 /delaware-nursing-summit-may-15-2019/ /delaware-nursing-summit-may-15-2019/#respond Sun, 07 Apr 2019 01:56:19 +0000 /?p=23165 The Delaware Nursing Summit is the critical next step for the Delaware nurses as we join 50 Action Coalitions across the country, all working to meet the goals identified in the landmark IOM report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.  With over 16,000 nurses in Delaware, we have a powerful voice that must be […]

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The Delaware Nursing Summit is the critical next step for the Delaware nurses as we join 50 Action Coalitions across the country, all working to meet the goals identified in the landmark IOM report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.  With over 16,000 nurses in Delaware, we have a powerful voice that must be heard.  This summit will give Delaware nurses a chance to examine the opportunities and barriers that exist as we work to improve health and health care delivery in our communities.  We want nurses from all practice arenas to bring their unique voice and commitment to the table to support a common goal, transforming health and health care in Delaware.

Agenda

Contact hours offered by the Delaware Division of Public Health

Join the movement as nurses from across disciplines come together and take action for the future health of all Delawareans.

 

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