C S S I WHAT IS IT ?

CRITICAL SKILLS SHORTAGE INITIATIVE

WHATS THE PLAN? Use the grant money from the Governors Opportunity Returns plan to build a highly skilled workforce in Southwest Illinois Identify the key industries in the area, determine occupational shortages and develop solutions

Who Is Involved? 3 Community Colleges: SWIC, KC, and L&C 9 County Workforce Investment Boards: Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, St.Clair, Clinton, Monroe, Washington, Randolph Area Hospitals and Nursing Homes

STEP 1: Identify the need Registered Nurses LPNs Rad Tech Lab Tech Resp Therapy Supervisors in all areas

NARROWING THE FOCUS….. Nursing was determined to be the priority now and well into the future SWEDR hospitals had a shortage of 225 RNs and LTC facilities were short 30 RNs In the same region, LTC facilities needed 69 LPNs and hospitals were short 48

Local Root Causes were…………. Insufficient supply of new graduate RNs Excessive leakage of RNs out of the SWEDR to metro area hospitals Aging RN workforce RNs leaving facility due to dissatisfaction LPNs climb career ladder to RNs often within 1-2 years of grad Insufficient supply of new grads Inadequate compensation for the jobs they perform Dissatisfaction with job

It was my first time to realize that it was not a supply issue. It wasnt that there were not enough students interested in going into the programs; it was that the colleges were not able to take in enough students to meet the hospitals needs. (Human Resource Manager, Alton Memorial Hospital) RESULTS OF THE MEETINGS

Other payoffs of the meetings Area hospitals made aware of 2 existing programs: KCs RN Refresher Course and L&Cs Management Course Sharing of resources: Hospitals offered classroom space, names of MSN prepared nurses, available clinical spaces

$$$ GRANT AWARDED! $$$ SWEDR was the recipient of a CSSI Grant for $615,000 3 projects were established: 1) Project HEAL –Health Education Alliance… to increase the number of RNs educated 2) Project BEST- Basic and Effective Supervisory Training...to improve supervisory skills of nurses 3) Project RENEW- Returning Nurses to the Educated Workforce....to provide refresher training for nurses who have been out of the workforce and want to re-enter

Kaskaskias Piece of the Pie PROJECT RENEW A Refresher Course for LPNs and RNs who have been out of the workforce and are ready to return May require meeting IDFPR requirements to re-issue license after being inactive for 5 or more years May just require a refreshing of skills and knowledge to be a safe practitioner

REFRESHER COURSE Is available to both RNs and LPNs LPN syllabus was written and updated by the Illinois Council of LPN Directors RN syllabus follows guidelines in Illinois Nursing Act

REQUIREMENTS OF COURSE All students take a pre-test (NLN) to determine areas of strength and weakness Includes a review of theory content…a synopsis of the entire program of either the LPN or A D N program Students do 14 days of supervised clinicals…..can go with a current clinical group or can find a nurse preceptor. Clinical skills are those listed in the Illinois Nurse Practice Act. Prior to clinicals, students must meet all the current program requirements including proof of insurance, health assessment/immunizations, background and drug screenings, TB test Must pass a calculations quiz with at 90% in order to give medications

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS? Graduates of a RN or LPN program who reside in the SWEDR and work for a healthcare facility in the SWEDR There are currently 14 facilities involved and others can be added as the need arises.

Just a note about Project HEAL 35 incumbent workers began A D N programs with an additional 15 added in January LPNs were admitted to the A D N program at SWIC and should graduate this year 9 additional LPN students were supported in completing prerequisites for the A D N program A full-time coach has been hired and works with students to help them be successful

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