Supporting the Education Process

Washington hospitals have for some time been providing assistance to health professions programs in their communities. Personnel shortages and financial problems compound the strain of providing this educational assistance. (Public and private payers, who are logical partners in this process, have so far been unwilling to share these costs.)

There are several successful models in Washington state. For example, hospitals in Spokane plan to fund four nursing faculty positions at the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education, which should result in an additional 40 graduates each year. Other hospitals are doing similar work around the state, including Kitsap County, Moses Lake, Pierce County, Snohomish County, and the Tri-Cities. In addition, most hospitals support health professions programs by providing scholarships and tuition reimbursement, while acting as clinical training sites.

Despite the financial strain of supporting education programs, hospitals that participate in these programs often benefit. Potential workers get to take a trial run in a facility as students. They often become comfortable in the setting and want to stay. Allowing hospital clinical staff opportunities to act as preceptors for students keeps clinicians’ work interesting. Many clinicians find a great deal of satisfaction in teaching others about their field.

Working Together to Educate Specialists

As discussed earlier in this report, specialty health personnel — such as intensive care and emergency room nurses — are especially in demand. To address the specialty personnel shortage, hospitals have formed consortiums to share the costs of continuing education, specialty training and certification, and residency training to address the skill gaps between graduate nurses and the needs of the employer. Hospitals need to find ways to increase the scope and reach of these programs and explore collaboration with community colleges to share the costs. This collaboration will allow the colleges to better fulfill their mission of responding to the education and training needs of the community. Distance learning opportunities also need to be explored to increase faculty capacity to educate nurses in our geographically diverse state.

Training Community Care Givers

Training resources should also support the educational needs of the increasing cadre of care-giving family members and friends. In this era of early hospital discharge and staffing shortages, the care these individuals provide is indispensable. Without their involvement, the current system would collapse. With the right training, increased family involvement is a logical solution to the looming demographic shortage of workers.