When nursing students gathered for orientation at educational facilities statewide earlier in the spring, they were introduced to an innovative program that changes the way the art and skill of nursing is being taught.

 

The national Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future (PIN) program trains staff nurses as clinical facilitators, enabling them to step out of their traditional roles and expand their job to include that of instructor. In a novel model of teaching-is-the-best-method-of-learning, nursing students experience first-hand the skill and reality of nursing to the unique community of geriatric patients in Central Mississippi.

 

The program was made possible with financial support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Northwest Health Foundation, both of which have prioritized investing in local nursing workforce solutions.

 

“Nurses are the nation’s most direct link to patient safety and quality of care,” said Susan B. Hassmiller, RN, PhD, senior adviser for nursing at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We’re committed to helping find the most innovative solutions to the nursing shortage so we can protect patients now and over the long term.”

 

The 2-year grant was awarded to the Hinds Community College Development Foundation, which partnered with the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce (MONW) to implement the Mississippi Geriatric Dedicated Education Unit Initiative (MGDEU).

 

Central Mississippi Medical Center, Hinds Community College School of Nursing, University of Mississippi School of Nursing, University of Mississippi Health Care, St. Dominic Memorial Hospital, Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, North Mississippi Medical Center, Itawamba Community College, and Mississippi Health Care Foundation were selected to participate in the partnership.

 

The program brings hospitals and nursing schools together to build a larger, more capable nursing workforce. The result, leaders propose, will foster a higher numbers of nurses, better educated students entering the workforce, and better nursing recruitment for healthcare facilities.

 

“This unique partnership of the philanthropic community helps identify new approaches that go well beyond what any one foundation could do alone,” said Hassmiller.

 

MGDEU allows nursing students into the trenches early in their educational career, which helps them stay motivated through the classroom side of the learning experience. At the same time, staff nurses expand their professional careers while also training fellow nurses in the making. Similar programs in other regions across the United States have shown high success rates.

 

“This grant will help us expand our efforts to provide the students with the expertise of both staff nurses and faculty in a learning environment with a focus on geriatric care,” said Debbie Logan, RN, project director with MONW. “This is a great collaborative effort that will directly impact the quality of healthcare in Mississippi.”

 

Hinds Community College president Clyde Muse, PhD, pointed out that Mississippi continues to experience a nursing shortage.

 

“Our state has been addressing (the problem) through enhanced nursing faculty salaries, expansion of nursing school enrollments, and numerous other activities,” he said. “In our current economic climate, we’re pleased to be a part of a national program that can positively impact the nursing shortage in our state.”