Project Accomplishments:
Nursing Education
Through the development of a statewide portfolio process, the Nebraska Action Coalition (NAC) implemented a competency-based model to facilitate seamless academic progression for RN-to-BSN students. Collectively, nursing programs made the decision to create the portfolio format for three competencies: 1) research and evidence-based practice; 2) leadership and management; and 3) community and public health. In addition, all nursing programs participated in a curricular gap analysis to assure that the BSN competencies are embedded in undergraduate curriculum and are expected outcomes for all BSN graduates. This process offers a consistent method for awarding academic credit for experiential learning and/or prior coursework. The NAC Education Team also worked with the staff at the State Board of Nursing to align the timeline of annual nursing school reports with national accreditation timelines and successfully added a routine request for annual numbers of males and ethnically diverse students in each program. Preliminary 2016 results for overall increase of RNs with a bachelor’s in nursing suggested an increase of 3 percentage points, rising from 61 percent in 2014 to 64 percent in 2016
Nursing Leadership
NAC built a leadership trajectory program targeting the NAC’s 40-under-40 honorees (representing gender, geographic, and ethnic diversity) to promote a mentoring/coaching program and advanced leadership education and recognition. This program included reaching out to the honorees to seek those interested in being mentored. The NAC also promoted leadership opportunities via email/website/Facebook and developed a Distinguished Leaders award recognizing urban and rural leadership for their part in leading, contributing, and sharing the work of the NAC. These efforts by the NAC leadership team in collaboration with the Nebraska Organization of Nurse Leaders will help to advance the future of health care in the state through innovative nursing leadership. NAC continued to disseminate the Diversity Toolkit with presentations, fact sheets, and program offerings both statewide and by virtual conferencing.
Diversity
The NAC utilized a regional approach to reflect best practices from the Diversity Toolkit. Each NAC area publishes a regional action plan on the NAC website to advance BSN education and increase workforce diversity. The NAC then supports the regions in the use of the Diversity Toolkit to remediate diversity gaps in Nebraska leadership roles.
Resources:
- Nebraska Develops Competency-Based Portfolio Approach to Assess Prior Learning for BSN Students
- Nebraska Toolkit Addresses Nursing Workforce Diversity
- Nebraska Develops Leadership “40 under 40” Program
Publication:
Vinton, V. (2016). Nebraska Nurse. Nebraska Action Coalition: Looking Back, Moving Forward. Retrieved from http://nursingald.com/publications/1308 p. 13.