1. State Involvement in LPN Education in Florida
Mary Lou Brunell, MSN, RN
Executive Director

2. Program Topics Department of Education – Standard Curriculum
Board of Nursing – Program Approval & Annual Report
Board of Nursing – License Regulation
Multistate Compact
Florida Center for Nursing – Data Collection
Annual for Education Programs
Biennial for Licensees
Biennial for Employers

3. FL Department of Education
Career & Technical Education
Develop & maintain educational programs that prepare individuals for occupations important to Florida’s economic development.
Each program is aligned to a career cluster and is detailed in curriculum frameworks.
With partners from education, business and industry, and trade associations, the curriculum frameworks include program standards that are both academically integrated and responsive to business and industry.
Includes Secondary & Post-Secondary Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing is scheduled for review in 2018

4. FL Board of Nursing Program Approval Program Annual Report
Program Accountability
LPN Licensure Regulation – Multistate Compact

5. Program Application Fee $1,000 / program offered
Completed Application Form
Program Director & at least 50% of faculty are registered nurses with a bachelor’s or higher degree in nursing
Curriculum
50% of clinical in US or US Territory
No more than 50% of clinical through simulation
Signed agreements with clinical sites
At least 1 faculty per 12 students
Clinical Preceptor must be RN or LPN
Outlines other curriculum requirements

6. Program Annual Report
Submitted to Board of Nursing by November 1 of each year
Certifies continued compliance and documents:
# of applications
# qualified
# accepted
# applicants enrolled
# students enrolled
# graduates
Retention rates
Accreditation status

7. Program Accountability
NCLEX-PN passage rate for first-time takers not more than 10 percentage points lower than the national average of the same calendar year
If not met for 2 consecutive years – probationary status & appearance before the Board with remediation plan
On probation until achieves passage rate  national for 1 calendar year
If does not achieve acceptable passage rate may have probation extended or may be terminated
If program fails to submit the required annual report – appearance before the Board to explain the delay
If fails to appear or does not submit report within 6 months – terminated

8. New in 2017
A program terminated or closed may not seek program approval under original or a new name for 3 years.
The Board may adopt rules relating to the nursing curriculum, including rules relating to the uses and limitations of simulation technology.
Annual survey previously managed by the Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability is now managed by the FL Center for Nursing.

9. Regulation – Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)
Allows LPN to practice across state lines in another Compact state
MUST adhere to laws & rules of the state in which one is practicing
‘Home’ state is that in which the nurse establishes residency
Effective January 19, 2018 with 26 states
Issued to new applicants if all requirements are met
Existing LPNs will have the option to convert to a multistate license

10. Multistate License Requirements
Have a current, Clear, Active license
Graduated from a qualifying education program (or graduated from a foreign program verified by independent credentials review agency)
Pass the NCLEX exam
Have no active discipline on a license
Submit to a federal criminal background check
Have no felony conviction
Not currently enrolled in an alternative to discipline program (i.e. IPN)
Have a valid U. S. Social Security number

11. Florida Center for Nursing
Established in law (FS ) 2001
Purpose – to address issues related to the nursing shortage in Florida
Overseen by 16 member Board appointed through the Governor’s Office
Obligation is to the people of Florida
Vision
To be the definitive source for information, research, and strategies addressing the dynamic nurse workforce needs in Florida.

12. Statutory Mandate – 2017
Submit reports to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives annually by January 30, through January 30, 2020.
Annual reports shall
Address the previous academic year
Provide data on the specified
Include an evaluation of such data for purposes of determining whether this section is increasing the availability of nursing education programs and the production of quality nurses
The department and each approved program or accredited program shall comply with requests for data from the Florida Center for Nursing.

13. Statutory Mandate – Existing Without state funding need not comply.
Develop a strategic statewide plan for nursing manpower in this state by:
 Establishing and maintaining a database on nursing supply and demand in the state, to include current supply and demand;
Analyzing the current supply and demand in the state and making future projections of such,
Effort through the work of the Florida Action Coalition
Convene various groups representative of nurses, other health care providers, business and industry, consumers, legislators, and educators
Enhance and promote recognition, reward, and renewal activities for nurses in the state

14. Nurse Workforce Information
The nurse data “trifecta”:
Nurse Supply Data – licensure and renewal survey data analyzed biennially (consistent with renewal cycle)
Nurse Demand Data – employer surveys of 6 industries conducted and analyze biennially (odd years)
Nurse Education Data – LPN / RN pre-licensure and graduate programs surveyed and analyzed annually
These data elements permit forecasting.

15. Florida’s Nurse Supply, January 2016

16. Age Distribution of Florida’s Working Nurses
Average ages
ARNP: 47.4 RN: LPN: 45.9
Average Age
RN = 47.5; slightly down
LPN = 45.9; slightly up
ARNP = 47.4; decreased

17. Age Distribution of Florida’s Working Nurses
Average Age
RN = 47.5; slightly down
LPN = 45.9; slightly up
ARNP = 47.4; decreased

18. Race/Ethnicity of Florida’s Working Nurses

19. Employment Settings and Practice Areas
Where nurses work
LPNs – 39% in Long-term Care; 15% in Home Health
RNs – 64% in Hospitals
ARNPs – 44% in Hospitals; 21% in Provider Offices
Practice Preferences
LPNs – Geriatrics; Home Health; Adult/Family; Rehabilitation
RNs – Acute/Critical Care; Medical Surgical; Maternal-Child
ARNPs – Adult/Family; Acute/Critical Care; Anesthesia; Peds/Neonatal

20. Nurse Demand Survey
Every 2 years – Hospitals, Home Health, Skilled Nursing, Public Health, Hospice, Psychiatric Hospitals
Last completed Summer 2015
Response rates overall 20%, ranged from 13% to 48%
Down from 25% in 2013
This year responses even lower, so pulled the survey
Exploring new approaches to data collection – perhaps a randomized sampling model

21. LPN FTE Vacancy Rates (%) by Industry 2007 – 2015
2007 – pre-economic downturn
2015 – post-economic recovery

22. LPN Average Turnover Rates

23. Vacant Positions (2015) /Projected Growth (2016) for RNs by Industry
LPN Vacancies 2015
LPN Growth
2016
Combined
Hospitals
184
Skilled Nursing
Insufficient data
Home Health
2,380
4,655
7,035
Public Health 62
Hospice 64 17 81
Total (all groups)
2,654
4,672
7,362

24. Most Difficult to Fill are Specialty Positions
Rank 
Hospitals
Skilled Nursing
Home Health
Public Health
Hospice
1st
Adult Critical Care
(5-52 weeks)
Nurse Aides
(2-16 weeks)
Home Care Staff RNs
(1-52 weeks)
School Nurses
(4-45 weeks)
Home Hospice Staff RNs
(4-40 weeks)
2nd
Emergency Department
(4-52 weeks)
Staff RNs
(4 – 21 weeks)
HHA/CNA
Clinic Staff Nurses
(4-63 weeks)
Nurse Practitioners
(4-33 weeks)
3rd
Operating Room
(2-52 weeks)
LPNs
(2-15 weeks)
Nurse Supervisors
(12-63 weeks)
Patient Care Coordinators
(3 to 36 weeks)
4th
Cardiac Cath Lab
Unit level manager
(4-26 weeks)
Case Managers
NPs and Midwives
(3-21 weeks)
5th
Labor and Delivery
Rehabilitation
(6-12 weeks)
Admin
(8-52 weeks)
Care Coordinators
Inpatient Staff RN
(4-25 weeks)

25. Trend in FT Faculty Vacancy Rates, 2007-2013

26. Do we know demand? Actual survey of Florida nurse employers (2015)
Current Need = 2,654 LPN vacancies
Future Growth = 4,672 RN positions
Increasing Faculty vacancies
Population Estimates – 3rd most populous state in US
Growth / In-Migration
Age (Increasing age = Increasing Demand)
Difficult to Fill Positions
Skilled Nursing; Home Health; Hospice

27. Education – Highest Degree Among Employed LPNs
BSN and Higher Degree
= 37.3%
= 39.5%
= 41.9%
= 45.7%

28. Trend in New Graduate LPN

29. LPN Workforce Gains / Losses

31. For more information, to follow our work:
Florida Center for Nursing visit: