http://www.aacn.nche.edu/

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/

Johnson & Johnson - Index

Johnson & Johnson - report - Index

PROFILES IN COMMITMENT
Andrea Higham
Director of the
Nursing Campaign
Johnson & Johnson
But an aging nurse population is exacerbating the shortage.
Related to that, there has been an alarming decrease in
nursing school faculty. In 2006, a widespread shortage
of nursing school faculty caused nearly 42,000 qualified
applicants to be turned away from nursing programs.
Q:
Why is this situation of such concern?
HIGHAM: Well, it translates into a health care crisis that
could limit patients’ access to needed health care services,
particularly among vulnerable populations.
A study conducted by Vanderbilt University
found that most nurse and non-nurse
respondents (e.g., physicians) believe
that the nursing shortage greatly affects
communication, nurse-patient relationships,
hospital bed availability, and quality of care.
Fewer nurses can mean later detection of
patient complications and more difficulty
maintaining patient safety.
Q:
What is Johnson & Johnson
doing about it?
HIGHAM: In the past 25 years, we have created or supported
dozens of innovative programs worldwide geared toward
practicing nurses and students who might consider entering
the profession. When we first became aware of the nursing
shortage more than five years ago, Johnson & Johnson
launched the Campaign for Nursing’s Future™. It is a multiyear
U.S. initiative to recruit nurses and nurse educators —
and to retain nurses currently in the system — by enhancing
the image of the profession and promoting educational
initiatives. We have invested in advertising campaigns,
recruitment materials, fund-raising programs, promotional
events, children’s programs, scholarships, professional
mentoring, and web-based educational outreach programs.
A current area of focus is the urgent need for nursing
school faculty. This year, 70 percent of the money the
Campaign raises through our Promise of Nursing fundraising
events, will go toward closing the gap between nurse faculty
supply and demand. We are giving more scholarships to
potential graduate nursing students. And we are seeking to
attract more men and more minority groups into nursing
education. The Campaign also continues to collaborate with
professional nursing organizations, schools, hospitals and
“...Since our
launch in 2002,
some 500,000
new nurses have
entered the
profession.”
other health care groups to promote opportunities in
nursing and to increase awareness of the value of the
nursing profession.
You mentioned the Campaign for Nursing’s
Q: Future is more than five years old; in fact, in
2007 the Campaign marked its fifth anniversary.
Has it been successful?
HIGHAM: Yes! Since our launch in 2002, some 500,000 new
nurses have entered the profession. Within that population,
employment of young RNs has increased by 87,000 —
representing the highest increase since 1987. Enrollment in
baccalaureate nursing programs has increased 57 percent.
Through a series of fund-raising events called the Promise
of Nursing Galas, we have raised over $12 million to date
for undergraduate student scholarships, nurse educator
fellowships and faculty development grants for nursing.
The Campaign’s first website, www.discovernursing.com, —
which we created to reach prospective nursing students, — is
Google’s top-ranked nursing website. It contains searchable
links to nursing scholarships and accredited nursing programs.
It also includes a section devoted to finding resources and tips
on how to apply for loans and scholarships.
In 2007, we celebrated the relaunch of
the Campaign with the release of additional
materials for the nursing profession. These
include new television spots, a new website,
www.campaignfornursing.com, new
recruitment materials and videos. As we’ve
done with all of our previous television
spots, we are showcasing real nurses making
a real difference in the lives of their
patients. Our new recruitment materials —
Be Someone, Be A Nurse — will continue
to increase awareness of the nursing
profession and will go even further to highlight the impact
of nurses — to inspire someone, save someone, heal someone
and educate someone. We are particularly proud of the
2007 release of an instructional CD for nurses. Virtual Nurse
Manager trains nurses through real-life simulations of
conflict resolution, complex patient scenarios and other
challenging day-to-day situations.
Q:
What’s next for the Campaign? Are there any
plans to expand it outside of the United States?
HIGHAM: Looking ahead, we are partnering with the American
Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) on a new national
scholarship program to increase the proportion of nurse
faculty with minority backgrounds. The program provides
financial assistance to underrepresented minority (URM)
nursing students to facilitate their completion of graduate
programs. AACN’s latest data show that only 10.5 percent of
full-time nurse faculty comes from URM backgrounds.
The nursing shortage is not limited to the United States. In fact,
the Campaign has already gone international, with distribution
of brochures, posters, pins and other materials in 52 countries. �
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