The effectiveness and desirability of mandated nurse staffing ratios have been discussed for more than 10 years. The author summarizes this debate as it unfolded in New York State. Although staffing ratios were always supported within the context of labor contracts negotiated by the New York State Nurses Association, there was a more gradual acceptance of legislation mandating staffing radios statewide. Current legislative proposals have focused on the need to base ratios in current research and include provisions that would allow adjustment of ratios with input from nurses in direct care.
Sixteen hospitals from the Northeastern New York Hospital Council tested the theory that clinical pathways are an essential component of the integrated quality assessment process. Clinical pathways served as a transition to the holistic, process‐oriented approach of quality improvement. The clinical pathways that they developed included preadmission, hospitalization, and postdischarge care needs. Respect and trust established among the hospitals in the consortium were evidenced by the cooperation and collaboration of the participating hospitals. This regional approach to care resulted in increased patient and staff satisfaction, positive patient outcomes, and a decrease in length of stay.
: One of the recommendations of the landmark Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health report was to increase the proportion of nurses with a bachelor of science in nursing or higher degree to 80% by 2020. In 2012, the American Organization of Nurse Executives was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the National Program Office for a new initiative-the Academic Progression in Nursing (APIN) program-with the goal of identifying and developing the most promising strategies for creating a more highly educated nursing workforce. This article discusses the findings of APIN's four-year project.
This department column introduces readers to the Academic Progression in Nursing (APIN) initiative. It discusses AONEs' association with the program. It also highlights the important role the APIN initiative plays in the fulfillment of the IOM's Future of Nursing Report's call for more nurses to attain a BSN or higher nursing degree. The column discusses the successful work being performed by the APIN initiative's action coalitions.
In 2012, the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), representing the Tri-Council of Nursing, namely, AONE, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Nurses Association, and the National League for Nursing, was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the national program office for the Academic Progression in Nursing (APIN) initiative. This article discusses the impact APIN has had in the 9 states that received APIN grants, essential elements for successful APIN projects, and highlights of the last year of the grant in moving closer to the 80/20 goal from the Institute of Medicine.
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