The Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing is pleased to report on the success of the Nurse Leadership Program. Since its inception in April of 2007, 100 charge nurses from across the State have attended. The Program consists of a two-day facilitated workshop which focuses on collaborative and values based leadership. Small group work emphasizes strategies for communication, conflict resolution and working in teams. A scenarios-based approach ensures that the skills learned are applicable to the practice environment of the participants. An e-mentoring component facilitates the ongoing application of skills and knowledge in the practice setting.
The Environment/Retention Collaborative of the Center developed and sponsored this program specifically for staff nurses who are in the charge nurse role because it is well known that front line leaders have a direct impact on the work environment. Charge nurses play a key role in professional practice in their units or departments and have the potential to enhance patient care, peer relationships, and team functioning. In addition, one of the key factors in nurse retention is providing opportunities for professional growth.
The Program was developed in collaboration with Donna Ching, PhD and is facilitated by Alison Zecha. The first pilot program was conducted in April, 2007 for 38 staff nurses from ten hospitals throughout the state. Participant feedback enabled the planning committee and the facilitators to make modifications which have enhanced the program.
Comments have provided valuable feedback:
“When you go to the same place every day, it is easy to see it as just a job--educational opportunities like this make it more of a ‘career’ or a ‘profession’—great to grow and learn.”
“I enjoyed this leadership program very much. Not only can you use this information individually but also as a group….The facilitator made this process eye opening and fun. I'm looking forward to the follow-up. Mahalo.”
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In 2007, the Hawai`i State Center for Nursing conducted the first biennial population based survey of registered nurses (RNs) required to renew their license in Hawai`i to collect data on their geographic distribution, age, employment status, intentions to stay in the profession, work setting, practice role, education, gender, racial/ethnic background. The survey also included items to examine intention to stay in current work setting in the next twelve months and the reasons that led to decisions to leave current nursing employment.
Responses from an online survey and mailed survey were combined and analyzed. In 2007, the total number of nurses listed with the Board of Nursing was 18,075 registered nurses. Out of this number 7,236 (40%) completed the survey.
Key findings from the 2007 survey show that:
• 79% report their current residential address as here in the State of Hawai`i.
• For those licensed and residing in Hawai’i, 88% report that they are active in nursing and working in a position requiring an RN license/ knowledge, 4.9% are retired, 3.6% working in non-nursing jobs, and 3.4% unemployed.1
Of the 88% active RNs:
• 73% live and work in the City & County of Honolulu, 12% Hawai`i County, 10% in Maui County, and 4% Kauai County. The workforce continues to disproportionately represent females and Caucasians.
• 62% are working in hospital settings, 6% long term care, 5% ambulatory care, and 7% in some other healthcare setting.
• 68% provide direct patient care services.
• Average age is 44.35 (±11.3).
• 85% are working 30 or more hours per week.
• About 8.5% of active RNs are Veterans aged 60 years and older, 52.5% are Boomers 41 to 59 years of age, and 39% are GenX Millennials aged 40 years or younger. 50-65% of active RNs intend to retire and leave the profession in the next 10 to 15 years.
• 18% of active RNs are ‘very likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ to leave their primary employer in the next 12 months. Reasons for leaving current employment include; dissatisfaction (36%), family / personal (5%), military or family relocation (5%), other (19%), relocation off island for better opportunities (14%),
retirement (13%), and return to school (3%).
• About 10% of active RNs are male.2
• About 19% of active RNs are Filipino, 16% Japanese, 11% mixed 2 or more races, 4% Native Hawai`ian, 4% Chinese, 2% Hispanic, 1% Other Asian, .9% African-American, 1% Korean, 1% Samoan and other Pacific Islanders, and <1% some other race.
1 In this report, the term ‘active’ is used to refer to registered nurses who are working in positions requiring an RN license/ knowledge on a full-time or part-time basis. ‘Active’ does not include approximately 4.9 percent of licensed RNs who are retired, 3.6 percent working in non-nursing jobs, and 3.4 percent unemployed.
2 The U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates by sex, race, and ethnicity show the following percentages for Hawai’i in 2006: 50 percent male, 50 percent female, 26.3 percent white, 2.2 percent black or African American, 39.9 percent Asian, 0.3 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native, 8.7 percent Native Hawai`ian or other Pacific Islander, 1.1 percent ‘Some other race’, 21.5 percent ‘Two or more races’, and an estimated 7.8 percent Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. The sum of percentages for race equals more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race. |
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The Center for Nursing hosted the first annual Career Fair to bring student nurses together with employers and educators to highlight career opportunities for new graduate nurses. It was held on Thursday, March 27 at Kapiolani Community College.
What a great success! We had 125 student nurses and over 20 employers, agencies and educators. Represented were five long term care facilities, seven nursing programs, three branches of the military, many of the acute care hospitals on Oahu and the neighbor islands and the Kaplan organization.
Four workshops were offered during the day including:
 • “Resumania” which covered the “how-tos” of writing a resume including the opportunity for individual feedback for the students’ resumes
• “How to Make a Successful Transition to Workforce” which covered how to move from the student role into the role of the practicing RN
• “Is there Education After Graduation?” which covered opportunities for both continuing education and graduate degrees
• “Ace the Interview” which offered p strategies to enhance success when interviewing
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This has been an exciting and productive year for the Center as we learn more about partnering and what is possible. Collaboration and developing partnerships is allowing us to build on our collective strengths and to share resources. It is showing us the way to accomplish much more than we ever imagined!
In December, 2007, a Nursing Workforce Summit was held with 107 participants including 30 nurses from the neighbor islands. Fifteen organizations presented posters on programs and best practices. Participants gave feedback on the strategic plan resulting in new priorities being set. It was an excellent two days of networking and active work in small groups to develop proposed actions for the nursing shortage. Included in the recommendations are: development of mentoring programs, focusing on behaviors of care and compassion for each other and within our organizations; recognition; transforming care at the bedside; self care; and political advocacy. Next steps will be to incorporate newly prioritized goals and new recommendations into a strategic plan for the Center and for the nursing workforce.
Retention of nurses continues to be a major focus of the Center. There is much to do! Specific projects include leadership training, preceptor development in long term care and the ongoing research projects on RN turnover and the new graduate RN longitudinal survey.
The latest Center project is the new graduate RN internship/preceptor development program, and we will be partnering with the Vermont Nurse Internship Project to bring a site license for this program to the State of Hawai’i. Partners will be Maui Memorial Medical Center, Hawai’i Pacific Health Systems, Tripler Army Medical Center and The Queen’s Medical Center. Because new graduate retention is a critical issue in addressing the nursing shortage, it is our hope that this program will have a major impact.
The Center can support small projects that address the nursing shortage such as those focused on retention, transforming care at the bedside, best practices or innovations in education.
If you have a project in the making, contact us for help in developing your ideas and a proposal. Partnering with nurses and others statewide is the way for all of us to have the greatest impact.
Much has been accomplished and there is much more to do! The success of your Center is due to the nurses of Hawai’i and many others who contribute time, effort and expertise to direct the work of the Center and make it happen!
MAHALO NUI LOA!
Barbara P. Mathews, MS, APRN, CNAA
Executive Director
Hawai`i State Center for Nursing
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