Sometimes we have to look back and recognize our successes to move forward. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine) released its first report, Future of Nursing, Leading Change Advancing Health. This launched the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action and the Center for Champion Nursing in America, both initiatives of AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. New Jersey (NJ) was one of the first five Action Coalition (AC) in the country. I would like to recognize the original co-leads Mary Ann Christopher, Dave Knowlton, and myself. Mary Ann was then followed by Mary Wachter as a co-lead. During this time, we had many funders to help support our work. In 2015, NJAC realigned the strategic plan focused on building a culture of health in NJ. Jennifer Polakowski connected students with community organizations.
In 2014, the NJAC was integrated into the work of NJ Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN) as the work aligned with our mission and vision. There were many accomplishments from our work to bring both practice and academe together. The 5 pillars of our work were: 1) transforming practice for APNs, 2) transforming education, 3) transforming leadership, 4) workforce data and 5) transforming nursing practice. Academic practice models were funded to help transform education with Dr. Maria Torchia LoGrippo taking the lead with our academic partners.
In 2021, a second report was released from the National Academy of Medicine’s Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Health Equity. Based on this report, NJ identified several key areas a focus. Dr.Nina Raoji led the 4 pillars that partners prioritized for NJAC which were 1) workforce focused on health equity and areas of shortage 2) strengthening nursing education, 3) emotional health and well-being which supports the work of NJ-NEW and 4) policy for modernizing full practice authority.
Some of the accomplishments led by NJCCN in collaboration with our partners over the years include: 1) transition into practice programs for new graduates in acute care, long term care, and Advanced Practice Providers, 2) supporting NJ NEW initiatives to reduce stress and burnout for nurses, 3) establishment of a tri-council of all deans and directors across programs to share best practices, 4) advocating for policy changes to modernize APN legislation and other workforce bills, 5) representing Nurses on Boards Coalition and 6) publishing workforce data at a state and national level.
While the Campaign for Action and Center for Champion Nursing in America sunsets the work will not be lost but transitioned to the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Work will be archived on the RWJF site. Our state work through NJCCN and our partners will continue to focus on recruitment and retention of nurses across settings, policy changes for the nursing workforce, and emotional health and well-being to meet our obligations for the residents of NJ and our nursing workforce.
