These days, it seems like every week a new report is published sounding the alarm of a rapidly aging population across the United States and a shortage of workers prepared to care for this barreling silver tsunami. So much of the media coverage and research is focused on the paraprofessional workforce.
See for example, these reports/publications:
- Who Will Care for Us?: Long-Term Care and the Long-Term Workforce , Paul Osterman, 2017
- Who Will Care? The Workforce Crisis in Human Services, Provider Council, 2017
- Home Health Care, Shouldn’t it be Work Worth Doing?, NYT, 2017
However, the Home Care Alliance member surveys indicate that the problem is broader than just a shortage of home health aides. The availability of a trained nursing workforce to meet a growing home-based health care delivery system is also emerging as an issue. Compounding challenges are impacting our ability as an industry to attract nursing students into home and community-based settings after nursing school. That is why, on June 7th the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts and Northeastern’s School of Nursing are hosting a symposium on the very topic of building a home care nursing workforce at Northeastern University from 9AM – 3PM.
The event, titled: Nursing Call to Action: Building a Nursing Workforce to Deliver Complex Care at Home, will bring together more than 25 nursing schools and 25 home health providers for a day-long session. The program will kick-start a dialogue brainstorming new approaches for preparing and exposing Massachusetts nursing students for an increasingly intensive health delivery system in the home.
This event will look past the issue of reimbursement rates or ever-changing reforms at CMS, and instead will focus on four key areas:
- Identifying knowledge and skills gaps for LPN/RN new-grads and what changes can be made to address the gaps and develop competencies in executing highly complex services
- Elevating the visibility to nursing schools of the growing demand for home-based services and the need to expose students to possible careers in home care nursing
- Identifying strategies on recruitment as new-grads and experienced nurses prepare for possible careers in home care nursing
- Identifying barriers and strategies to get home health agencies more involved in clinical placements for nursing students
If you would like more information on this event, please reach out to Jake Krilovich. Please note: There is limited space for this event!
Think Home Care Blog 