FEATURE STORY
The State of Nursing in 2022
The pandemic has exacerbated and highlighted a nationwide nursing shortage . Philanthropy is helping Baylor Scott & White Health hire and keep the best .
A Nursing Shortage
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only highlighted the heroism of nurses but has also brought increased focus to a nationwide nursing shortage . Increased need for healthcare across the country , spurred by the aging of the Baby Boomer population , has created a need for more than 1 million new nurses by 2030 . The U . S . Department of Health and Human Services predicts that Texas will have the second-highest need of any state in the country .
“ Across the nation , we are all in this same boat as to how we snap back in what I hope is the last chapter of this pandemic ,” noted Janice Walker , DHA , RN , chief nursing officer for Baylor Scott & White Health .
Nurse Residency Program
One of the key ways the System is addressing the shortage is through the Baylor Scott & White Nurse Residency Program . All new graduate nurses hired have the advantage of this one-year residency program to help them as they begin their careers as nurses , providing the support they need to succeed . In the same way that medical doctors must complete a residency program before they can practice on their own , newly graduated registered nurses at Baylor Scott & White complete their own residency program to prepare them for successful careers in nursing .
“ We swaddle that nurse from day of
The residency program boasts a success rate of more than 92 % in keeping nurses at Baylor Scott & White for more than two years .
hire to day of independent practice to make sure it is a successful journey . We know that when we put our graduate nurse residents through this program , they are going to excel and we will retain them ,” Walker said of the program , which boasts a success rate of more than 92 % in keeping nurses at Baylor Scott & White for more than two years . Nationally , the two year retention rate is around 81 %.
Accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center , this transition-to-practice program provides a formal support and learning framework for newly graduated nurses in their transition from student to professional nurse . Graduate nurses participate in clinical debriefings with mentors who offer support and guidance on real-life challenges , receive guidance on incorporating lifelong learning into their careers , learn and practice stress management techniques , receive mentorship and guidance as they conduct their own evidence-based project , and enjoy a supportive peer group of other newly graduated nurses .
Philanthropic Impact Nursing leaders across the country estimate that it can cost between $ 100,000 and $ 150,000 to train one graduate nurse to have the skills and confidence needed to become an independent caregiver and leader . The cost for this training falls on the healthcare entities that hire them .
Philanthropy plays a key role in helping Baylor Scott & White continue to expand this important program . A recent grant of more than $ 2.2 million from the Deerbrook Charitable Trust will fund the education and support of 200 graduate nurse residents . This year , Baylor Scott & White will educate and support three cohorts of 750 graduate nurses through its residency program , a total of 2,250 graduate nurse residents , representing a five-fold increase over the 500 participants the previous year .
“ We have a passion for supporting the education and leadership of nurses ,” said Harris Clark , a director of the Deerbrook Charitable Trust . “ Nurses are the backbone of a health system and we must equip them with the resources they need to succeed . We are honored to have a role in supporting the careers of these caregivers .”
“ These gifts set graduate nurses up for career success for the rest of their lives ,” Walker noted . “ They get the time to turn knowledge and skills into independent practice . Nurses are truly the front line for humanity ’ s health . Giving them the tools , training and support they need to do their jobs well not only allows them to pursue their passions but also invests in the well-being of our communities .”
For more information on how you can support the Baylor Scott & White Nurse Residency Program , please contact Sarah Burdi at 214.820.4721 or Sarah . Burdi @ BSWHealth . org .
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THE COMPASS / BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE FOUNDATION NEWS / SPRING 2022