Problem: A Critical Need for Skilled Nurses in Long-Term Care
As dem和 for long-term healthcare services increases, many nursing homes 和 assisted living providers are dealing with workforce shortages, particularly for registered nursing roles.
“It can be difficult to find a registered nurse with the right blend of clinical skills 和 management acumen required to work with residents, 他们的家人和工作人员,Pam克莱因说。, co-founder of Fresh Coast Partners, an assisted living provider with communities in 出赛, 威斯康辛州. “Soft skills, such as critical thinking 和 communication, are essential to success.”
In 威斯康辛州, competition for long-term care workers is especially intense. 超过 90,400 威斯康辛州 residents currently live in long-term 和 assisted living communities, a 23% increase in the past 15 years.
Due to the increasing dem和 for caregiver services, 五分之一 long-term care providers are experiencing staff shortages.
结果是, healthcare organizations increasingly rely on local universities to produce workforce-ready nursing graduates. Klein was pleased to find one nursing graduate who checked all the boxes: Kim Bonn, a 2014 graduate of Herzing大学’s BSN program.
“We hired Herzing大学 alum Kim Bonn as a nurse at our Library Terrace assisted living community, 和 she soon demonstrated that she possessed all the strengths we were looking for. We knew she was capable of more,克莱因说。.
Within her first year at Library Terrace, Bonn was promoted to her current position of Assisted Living 校园 Executive Director, where she now plays an integral role in staff training 和 development. She credits much of her early career success to her nursing education at Herzing大学.
Pam克莱因
雇主
Solution: 护理 Education that Focuses on Soft Skills
One aspect of a nurse’s development that is often overlooked is the value of interpersonal 和 “soft” skills, which are as critical to a new nurse’s success as his or her technical training.
“Our nurses need to be exceptional communicators 和 emotionally intelligent, as they often have to have difficult conversations with residents 和 their families,克莱因说。. “We also look for problem-solvers. We have to be able to pivot to a new approach when current strategies are not working.”
Through community-based clinical 和 volunteer work, students in Herzing’s BSN program gain h和s-on experience in providing holistic, personalized care to a diverse patient population.
核心软技能, 比如专业性, 尊重, 完整性, 关怀与参与, are also encompassed in Herzing’s P.R.I.C.E. 成功框架. 这些值, which are the foundation for a successful, 有意义的职业, are central to the curriculum 和 the culture of Herzing to ensure students’ personal 和 professional development.
Bonn honed her clinical skills in geriatric 和 community health nursing through clinical rotations at the Milwaukee VA Center 和 Horizon Hospice in Menomonee Falls, 威斯康辛州. 通过这些经历, she developed a passion for working with seniors 和 learned valuable skills that would prepare her for a career in long-term care.
“My courses 和 clinical experience at Herzing大学 helped me develop the critical thinking skills that allowed me to be successful,波恩说. “I’ve been able to take on new responsibilities 和 become more autonomous in my role, 和 that’s because I am trusted by our residents.”
Result: Competent, Caring 医疗保健 Leaders
To help healthcare organizations meet the growing dem和 for skilled nurses, Herzing大学 offers a variety of nursing pathways that make it possible for individuals to begin or advance their nursing careers, 包括文凭, associate 和 bachelor’s degree programs.
“There will certainly be a growing need for leaders in the healthcare industry, especially within the assisted living field,克莱因说。. “Nurses can play important roles as leaders 和 can benefit from further education to help them hone those skills.”
The nationwide nursing shortage, fueled by an aging baby boomer population 和 growing dem和 for healthcare services, is expected to increase as 500,000 nurses reach retirement age by 2022. 事实上，美国.S. Department of Labor predicts nearly 1.1 million RNs will be needed by 2022 to offset the gap left by retirees 和 fill 10万个护理工作岗位 每年.
As more new nurses join the workforce, experienced nurses will have the opportunity to move into specialized roles 和 leadership positions. Herzing’s graduate nursing degree programs prepare students to exp和 their careers into advanced practice nursing, nurse education 和 nurse management.
Through a partnership with Herzing大学, healthcare organizations can ensure they find workforce-ready nurses who, 比如金·波恩, possess the clinical judgment 和 critical thinking skills necessary to provide the highest quality of patient care.
“We would love to work with more Herzing大学 graduates like Kim,克莱因说。.