Key Takeaways:
Urgent Action Needed on Several Fronts: A significant number of CNEs continue to signal a sense of urgency around patient safety, workforce challenges, and cost control.
Workforce Crisis Demands Attention: The high proportion of CNEs demanding action on “Cultivating a High-Performing Nursing Workforce” and “Securing Top Nursing Talent” continues to paint a stark picture of the workforce crisis. These are not just future concerns; they require immediate, strategic intervention.
Premium Labor Costs are Unsustainable: The strong call for action on “Eliminating Premium Labor” indicates that current reliance on contract labor is financially unsustainable and demands immediate attention to optimize workforce management.
Leadership Pipeline Requires Investment: While “Developing Nursing Leaders for Tomorrow” shows a concentration in the “thinking about it” stage (level 3), this should be interpreted as a call to move from contemplation to action. Investing in the leadership pipeline is crucial for long-term success.
Innovation Needs a Push: The fact that “Innovating Care Delivery Models” sits mostly at levels 1 and 2 suggests a potential blind spot. CNEs may be underestimating the urgency of adapting care processes to meet evolving needs and improve efficiency.
The data reveals some directives for CNEs actions:
Confront the Nursing Shortage with Urgency: Implement concrete strategies to build sustainable recruitment pipelines, strengthen retention efforts, and develop nursing talent. Prioritize competitive compensation, improved work environments, sustainable workloads, and career development opportunities.
Take Immediate Action on Premium Labor: Develop and implement strategies to reduce reliance on expensive contract labor. This may involve Economically Sizing patient placement, redesigning staffing models, investing in technology, and most importantly improving workforce planning.
Invest in Future Nursing Leaders: Go beyond assessment and actively invest in leadership development programs – an essential element to retention. Prioritize mentorship, leadership training, and succession planning to ensure a strong leadership pipeline.
Drive Innovation in Care Delivery: Embrace innovation in care delivery models. Actively explore new approaches to improve efficiency, enhance patient outcomes, and adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape.
Champion a Culture of Safety: Continuously improve patient safety by fostering a culture where quality of care remains at the forefront of all initiatives.
