LAUNCHING A NURSING PROGRAM: IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND NURSING PROFESSION

Purpose: Launching a new RN-to-BSN program in an underserved region of the state of Washington has resulted in numerous benefits to both the nursing profession and the community members receiving nursing care in Northwest Washington. The purpose of this symposium is to highlight three specific outcomes integral to advancing the profession of nursing and providing the community with access to high-quality, safe healthcare.

Rationale/Background: Western Washington University (WWU) launched one of three new Washington State RN-to-BSN programs partially supported through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded initiative to promote academic progression in nursing. This program adds to the statewide strategy to meet the IOM Report on the Future of Nursing (2010) goal of an 80% BSN prepared workforce by 2020. This new program offers a commitment to fostering innovative and interdisciplinary academic-community partnerships in the North Puget Sound region of the state.

Methods: The RN-to-BSN program was initiated in partnership between Western Washington University and community agencies all dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of the community. Faculty worked with nurses in these agencies to provide quality and timely learning experiences for students that reflect the current rapidly-changing landscape of healthcare and to identify community needs and contribute directly to meeting those needs.

Outcomes: Three innovations directly resulting in improved healthcare in the community include:

1. University-Hospital partnership between WWU and PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Medical Center that involved BSN students participating in the hospital’s Nursing Research Council to identify real-time needs for implementation of Evidence-Based Projects. These projects directly improved patient care quality and safety in the health system and offered students the opportunity to present their findings in multiple settings, both locally and regionally;
2. The Palliative Care Initiative which identified a need to mobilize the community to take collective action to improve palliative health services and create a palliative community. Over the first year of the initiative, over 400 people have attended events organized by the nursing program, a 3-day Summer Institute was held, and two research presentations and two manuscripts involving students have been accepted for presentation and submitted for publication;
3. Professional nursing practice is now being highlighted as a priority by nurses in the region. Multiple initiatives have launched to support nurses in pursuit of lifelong learning, pursuit of advanced leadership skills, and planning for positions on community and hospital boards throughout the region.

Conclusions: As interest in continued nursing education heightens and new programs emerge, lessons learned from innovative programs such as the one at Western Washington University should be considered for the impact beyond simply that of nurses achieving higher degrees of education. The impact of nursing education reaches far beyond the attainment of a degree; it positions nurses with the skills and knowledge to directly impact the health and healthcare of the community and simultaneously raises awareness of the importance of the nursing profession to improving the quality and safety of healthcare.