Joyce Y. Johnson

 Dr. Sylvia Flack welcomed us and provided a brief history of the National Strategy and the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities – from which the National Strategy initiative was born  The National Strategy focuses on building leaders for the our Nursing programs to help programs and students survive and thrive to produce a more diverse workforce in Nursing

 Dr. Shanita Williams, Chief, Nursing Practice and Workforce Development Branch - HRSA defined the  Dr. Williams discussed her multi-million dollar portfolio —She needs to hear from us—get in touch and keep in touch so we are well represented in the funds distribution  HRSA focusing on Health Inequities— historical insults, elimination of health and health care disparities –real and systematic and a significant threat to public health  Cascading strategic Initiative on Health Equity--- branches  Nursing Workforce Development Program – recruit, retain, and graduate nurses

 shifting to focus from student alone to the structure within the organization that is impeding the progress of students (inflexibility). In the funding announcement – social determinants are gaining prominence  Best Practice models for reaching our minority students and promoting success  As leaders, must advocate for the needs of our programs for support and seek assistance to help us submit successful proposals for grant funds  Engage Stakeholder groups – NACNEP, Professional Associations, Continue to shape the vision  Develop ‘New’ partnerships.  Office Bureau of Health Professions,

 Discussed ongoing concerns in programs around student success, faculty development and the role of the National Strategy in resolutions  Deliverables from this initiative could include a publication and/or toolkit of best practices aroung  Use of standardized testing systems: ATI and others to support student progression and success  Resources and teaching strategies/ faculty and student engagement  Approaches to address lack of integrity issues  Social determinants related to barriers to student success  Faculty development issues and strategies

 Words of wisdom on development and leadershop skills  Funding opportunities 

 Fantastic Posters including content on:  Use of audience response system as teaching strategy  Promotion of student writing abilities  Advice for publishing  RN-BSN trends, findings and future direction  Simulation Technology  Teaching model for leadership excellence  And Minority Graduates’ perception of NCLEX

 Dr Hilda Williamson, Dr. Betty Olinger  Dr. Bennie Marshall and Dr. Georgia McDuffie Presented Issues and Strategies which included: - Need to decrease attrition which included a number of minority students - Used NWD grant – Nursing Undergrad Retention and Success (NURS) to support initiatives - Social determinants of health (SDH) provided a framework for identifying multiple variables that impact academic success - NEEP for Upward Progressing Students (UPS): community engagement and professional interactions

- Recruitment and Retention(R&R) Strategies - Must address the faculty shortage – increasing with retirements-- - IOM report indicates a need to increase BSN nurses, doctorally prepared nurses and lifelong learning for nurses - Issues: nursing education is expensive, salaries are inadequate for faculty, limited doctorally prepared nursing faculty, high competition for the limited pool of masters-prepared nurses, job dissatisfaction (workload inequities), faculty evaluations reflect demands for scholarship with limited time available – high teaching/clinical load

 Inadequate faculty development: program/course evaluation, classroom management, role expectations of faculty are multifaceted..servant leader, peer counselor, policy advocate…..  Strategies: address salary issues, use weekend/evening differentials for clinical  HRSA loan forgiveness – make faculty aware  Have an exemplary faculty orientation program  Have a diverse faculty—age (challenges) Racial/Ethnic mix  Encourage retirees/alumni to stay involved  Public awareness campaigns – Speakers Bureau  Reward and recognize good full/PT faculty  Seek external funding to support faculty – RWJ Nurse faculty program, Blue Cross Foundation program

- Additional Strategies: - Identify outcomes first -- to establish quality assessment when evaluating your program - Strategize – all must be on the same page for progress to occur - “what is the end product, what must be done, how are faculty to be involved (junior and senior faculty) don’t overuse and burn out senior faculty”

- All faculty should understand their academic role – teach, communicate, use information resources, change agent, know professional practice, and engage in scholarly activities - Strive for Program excellence, faculty should challenge themselves - Mentor new faculty—accreditation is a learning process they should have a role in - Raise the bar on academic standards - Action steps: Hire quality faculty, grow your own, mentor faculty in their role, the role of senior faculty and the role of chair

- Describe the student – academic level, learning outcomes, and graduate competencies  Had to turn around a program quickly – address responsibility/accountability:  Produced booklet on ‘student success begins with you’  Had exit chat with the Dean - identify issues and suggestions for improvement  Enforced office hours and need for more student access to faculty  Retention Coach

 Guidelines for the clinical experience – manual for students and faculty  Online faculty resource site –sharing of strategies  Advisement training and support  Evaluations for quality improvement—self, peer, student, administrator and faculty evaluation of course  Mentor evaluation by protegee and self- evaluation by mentor  curriculum audit against standards – AACN, QSEN, NCLEX…..

ATI has great support materials!!

 Protégés were reminded to Take opportunites to become a leader and  Be flexible and mobile—may have to travel  Mentors discussed need to know what the protégé needs/wants from the mentor  More communication and relationship building opportunities are important to the mentor-protégé match 

 Look at the data  Be careful to make the right conclusion