Foundations

  • Health care organizations that offer nurse residency programs and foundations should evaluate the effectiveness of the residency programs in improving the retention of nurses, expanding competencies, and improving patient outcomes.
  • Learn more about innovative, nurse-led models of care. 

Academia

  • Academic administrators and university trustees should create salary and benefit packages that are market competitive to recruit and retain highly qualified academic and clinical nurse faculty.
  • Academic administrators should require all faculty to participate in continuing professional development and to perform with cutting-edge competence in practice, teaching, and research.
  • Schools of nursing should foster a culture of lifelong learning and provide resources for interprofessional continuing competency programs.
  • Faculty should partner with health care organizations to develop and prioritize competencies so curricula can be updated regularly to ensure that graduates at all levels are prepared to meet the current and future health needs of the population.
  • Academic nurse leaders should partner with health care organizations, leaders from primary and secondary schools systems, and other community organizations to recruit and advance diverse nursing students. 
  • Nursing education programs should integrate leadership theory and business practices across the curriculum, including clinical practice.
  • Schools of nursing, in collaboration with other health professional schools, should design and implement early and continuous interprofessional collaboration through joint classroom and clinical training opportunities.
  • Update your syllabi, review sample syllabi.
  • Access supporting research to nursing recommendations. 

Nurses & Nurse Leaders

  • Academic nurse leaders should partner with health care organizations, leaders from primary and secondary school systems, and other community organizations to recruit and advance diverse nursing students.
  • Nurses should take responsibility for their personal and professional growth by continuing their education and seeking opportunities to develop and exercise their leadership skills.
  • Nursing associations should provide leadership development, mentoring programs, and opportunities to lead for all their members.
  • Host an event.
  • Find an event in your area. 

Government (Federal and State)

  • State policymakers should require third-party payers that participate in fee-for-service payment arrangements to provide direct reimbursement to advanced practice registered nurses who are practicing within their scope of practice under state law.
  • The Secretary of Health and Human Services should redirect all graduate medical education funding from diploma nursing programs to support the implementation of nurse residency programs in rural and critical access areas.
  • State legislatures should require third party payers that participate in fee-for-service payment arrangements to provide direct reimbursement to APRNs who are practicing within their scope of practice under state law.
  • The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation should support the development and evaluation of models of payment and care delivery that use nurses in an expanded way and leadership capacity to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
  • Congress should expand the Medicare program to include coverage of APRN services that are within the scope of practice under applicable state law, just as physician services are now covered.   
  • Learn more about scope of practice laws and the Institute of Medicine committee's recommendation to remove scope-of-practice barriers.

Health Care Organizations

  • Health care organizations should support and help nurses in taking the lead in developing and adopting innovative, patient-centered care models.
  • Health care organizations should engage nurses and other front-line staff to work with developers and manufacturers in the design, development, purchase, implementation, and evaluation of medical and health devices and health information technology products.  
  • Health care organizations should encourage nurses with associate’s and diploma degrees to enter baccalaureate nursing programs within five years of graduation by offering tuition reimbursement, creating a culture that fosters continuing education, and providing a salary differential and promotion.
  • Public, private, and governmental health care decision makers at every level should include representation from nursing on boards, on executive management teams, and in other key leadership positions.