Project Accomplishments:
The Vermont Action Coalition focused on three main areas including:
- Increasing the supply of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the state through a marketing plan that included improving its website to provide more information to nurses about educational programs and funding.
- Developing educational programming aimed at increasing the business skills of advanced practice registered nurses to support the establishment of independent practices.
- Developing an interprofessional education program for a diverse population of community health workers.
Education
To achieve the goal of increasing the supply of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in Vermont, the Action Coalition established a website with information that included: a listing of the state’s schools of nursing; the education benefits that employers provide nurses to continue their education; state funding opportunities; and a guide providing counsel to obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The Action Coalition reported that the number of nurses enrolled in RN-to-BSN programs increased by 208 nurses between 2015 and 2017.
Leadership
To help prepare nurse practitioners (NP) for leadership roles, the Action Coalition created and piloted a Nurse Practitioner in Independent Practice Program with a series of modules and videos with continuing education credits. The curriculum was created after review and research of information currently available and with input from NPs across the state.
Diversity and Interprofessional Practice
To promote interprofessional practice in home health settings, the Vermont Action Coalition developed a curriculum to train community health workers to work in home health agencies, with a focus on recruiting a diverse population of bilingual individuals who are recent American citizens. Two cohorts completed the training at the time of reporting, for a total of 18 participants.
Resources:
Publications: None