Health Workforce Advocacy
As part of our Health Workforce Advocacy initiative, Northwest Health Foundation supports several projects with discretionary funds.
Identifying and Supporting Nurse Leaders
Since 2001, Northwest Health Foundation has been actively working to develop the the health workforce capacity for the 21st century by supporting innovative and collaborative nursing leaders to address the current and future challenges of the healthcare system.
In 2009 NWHF supported the ongoing sustainability of the Oregon Center for Nursing’s (OCN) nursing leadership institute and helped expand the program to include nurses working with elders. We also supported the Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy, collaborating with John A. Hartford Foundation to strengthen the leadership skills of practicing nurses in the long-term care community. In order to increase the impact of the two grants, NWHF helped create synergy between academy fellows, the OCN leadership initiative, and other projects in geriatrics nursing.
Building the capacity of nursing to take a stronger and more visible role in the region’s changing demographics and healthcare needs
NWHF also supports collaborative activities to build the capacity of nurses and nursing organizations to address the complex issues related to primary care, geriatrics nursing, and health reform.
We were also active in encouraging the development of activities to diversify the nursing profession.
Interventions in this area included technical assistance, coalition building, training and advocacy.
Helping the Oregon Legislature Pass SB 701
NWHF also provided funding and advocacy for the passage of SB 701, establishing the Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Program to help ensure adequate numbers of nursing educators are recruited and retained in Oregon’s nursing programs. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers and to have immediate effect, $200,000 was appropriated for the biennium.
The Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Program will provide annual payments on behalf of nurse educators who teach at nursing schools in Oregon—encouraging more nurses to return to graduate school, transition into teaching positions, and remain committed to nursing education.
As Senator Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin), chief sponsor said, “Each year, more and more nursing instructors are retiring while more and more students want to enroll in nursing programs.”
Impacting the shortage of nursing educators is the most important step in addressing the shortage of nurses in the community.