Carolina Nursing experts join leaders across the state to tackle nursing shortage
April 4, 2023
The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) has launched a new Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce to tackle projected shortages and address challenges within the profession.
North Carolina, as well as the rest of the nation, is experiencing a nursing shortage crisis. By 2033, North Carolina faces an estimated shortage of nearly 12,500 registered nurses. This scarcity will challenge the ability of our health care systems to provide the proactive and personalized care that every patient deserves.
Valerie Howard, EDD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN, dean and professor at the UNC School of Nursing, has been appointed to the steering committee for this task force aimed at bolstering North Carolina’s nursing workforce. She will work with esteemed leaders, policy makers and health care experts across the state to develop innovative solutions that strengthen the nursing workforce and promote high-quality patient care for the people of North Carolina.
Additional Carolina Nursing experts serving on the task force include:
- Valerie Howard, EDD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN: Work Group on Retention
- Rumay Alexander, EdD, RN, FAAN: Work Group on Equity & Nursing
- Cheryl Giscombé, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN: Work Group on Equity & Nursing
- Cheryl Jones, PhD, RN, FAAN: Work Groups on Education & Career Progression and Retention
- Patrick McMurray, MSN, RN: Work Group on Equity & Nursing
- Felicia Mosley-Williams, DNP, MHAED, MSN, RN, NCSN: Work Group Reviewing 2004 Task Force on Nursing
- Audra Rankin, DNP, APRN, CPNP: Work Group on Payment Models
- Natalia Villegas, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, FAAN: Work Group on Equity & Nursing
- Peggy Wilmoth, PhD, MSS, RN, FAAN: Work Group Reviewing 2004 Task Force on Nursing
- Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, CNL, FAAN: Work Groups on Education & Career Progression and Payment Models
The task force work groups seek to develop a vision for enhancing and supporting North Carolina’s nursing workforce, with a particular focus on licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs). Task force members will meet six times between February and December 2023 to identify specific and actionable recommendations related to:
- Creative responses to strain in the nursing workforce and projected shortages
- How the nursing profession can contribute to improved health equity
- How we can support the current nursing workforce to adapt and thrive in the changing health care landscape
“North Carolina’s nursing workforce is critical to the health and well-being of our communities,” explained Dean Howard. “By working collaboratively with leaders and policy makers across the state, we can address the complex challenges facing nursing education, recruitment, and retention. It is more urgent than ever that we find innovative solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce, reduce health disparities, and ensure access to high-quality health care for all North Carolinians.”
“This is an exciting and crucial time to begin addressing the nursing workforce issues in North Carolina. It is vital that we propose solutions for today’s needs, but also for the future as the demand for nursing and health care will grow,” said Ernest Grant, task force co-chair and immediate past president of the American Nurses Association. He is joined by co-chairs Catherine Sevier, retired nurse and president emeritus of AARP NC, and Hugh Tilson, Jr., director of North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).
“These issues have been around for a long time and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m excited to work with amazing thinkers and leaders to learn from the past while recommending new, innovative, and effective actions to address them,” said Tilson.
The task force is supported by The Duke Endowment, the North Carolina Pandemic Recovery Office, and AARP North Carolina. NCIOM task forces produce recommendations on policies, systems, and programs that will support improvement or advancement of the issues being discussed. Responsible parties are identified in all recommendations and might include the General Assembly, state agencies, health care systems, trade associations, university and community college systems, local governments, and the business community.
To learn more about the Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce, visit https://nciom.org/taskforceonfutureofnursingworkforce/.
