The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is excited to announce nine of its state-based Action Coalitions have each been selected to receive up to $25,000 for innovative ideas to advance nursing and build a Culture of Health. The winners were chosen based on their submission of replicable plans to continue working to implement at least one recommendation from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the future of nursing, while also contributing to building a healthier America through nursing.

The winners are:

Colorado

The Colorado Action Coalition’s project seeks to advance nursing leadership by supporting the expansion of a nurse-led health care model to federally qualified health centers in the state. Nurse leaders interested in implementing this RN-based model will be offered a two-day workshop and team-based coaching. The project is called Nurses Leading the Transformation of the Practice Environment.

Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Action Coalition’s project, Promoting Health Literacy to Influence Health and Wellness of Students in the Community, aims to develop a health literacy initiative for students in select communities. The initiative will encourage nurses to become leaders and participants in existing school wellness committees. Participating nurses will receive population health training and access to resources from partners so they can be better positioned to shape school policies concerning school nutrition, physical activity, and other student health issues.

Michigan

The Michigan Action Coalition will create a networking platform featuring social and professional networking, as well as online education opportunities.    The aim of Nurses Connect is to  increase professional development opportunities and strengthen connections among nurses to increase job satisfaction, improve retention, and promote lifelong learning. The platform will include leadership development, mentoring, and Culture of Health components.

Nebraska

The Nebraska Action Coalition will involve nurses on an interprofessional committee whose purpose is to increase access to care by promoting the involvement of community health workers on interdisciplinary teams. The Nebraska Action Coalition will also participate in events that promote the importance of nurses leading in their communities to help build a Culture of Health. Such activity includes hosting regional conferences using the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health framework and other tools to assist communities in creating their Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP). The information gathered will contribute to the development of a national CHIP model for other communities to use as they create their own plans.

Ohio

In an effort to promote nursing leadership and address local health-related issues, the Ohio Action Coalition will partner with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to encourage nurse participation in CASA’s efforts to train volunteers to advocate in court for the interests of an abused or neglected child.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Action Coalition project, a podcast series titled “At the Core of Care,” is an effort to showcase the stories of patients, families, and communities, and the creative efforts of nurses and other partners to better meet their health and health care needs. These podcasts will view a health care need through the lens of the consumer and highlight the ways that nurses and other organizations are intervening and partnering to transform the health care system.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Action Coalition seeks to improve its state’s health care system by creating a nursing curriculum, competency assessment, and development program to prepare nurses to become primary care providers in high-demand communities. Additionally, the state will develop a campaign to promote interprofessional practices among diverse organizations to foster collaboration within the health care environment.

Utah

The Utah Action Coalition aims to increase diversity in nursing by implementing strategies that include outreach to middle and high school counselors. The goal is to recruit students from underrepresented communities and backgrounds for nursing schools. To support diversity in nursing students’ academic progression and leadership, the Action Coalition will implement mentoring and support programs featuring mentors who represent a diversity of racial, ethnic, age, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

West Virginia

The West Virginia Action Coalition will focus on nurse entrepreneurship, offering webinars and online training to teach skills and build a community for nurses to learn about becoming entrepreneurs. This project is based on the belief that nurses could have a large economic impact in the state and in their communities if they were more knowledgeable about business opportunities.