The Kentucky Nurses Association plans to ask the State Legislature to enact a safe staffing model. That means having a suitable number of nurses available at all times across the continuum of care with a proper mix of education, skills, and experience. Delanor Manson is chief executive officer for the KNA. She said there’s a need for 20,000 nurses over the next two years. Mason said that’s not going to happen, but a nurse emeritus program may help..
“Maybe bringing back retired nurses who don’t want to work a 12-hours shift or an 8-hour shift. But, they may want to work a creative four-hour shift or two-hour shift, doing something different than what they did when they were working, say at the bedside,” said Manson.
Manson noted the safe staffing approach also means including nurses more in the decision-making process. The Nurses Association CEO added only a very few states have what is typically considered a nurse-patient ratio program.
Virtual nursing could become part of the caregiving formula across Kentucky in the years ahead. It’s viewed as a way to help deal with the ongoing shortage of nurses. Kentucky Nursing Association Chief Executive Officer Delanor Manson says it’s not about lessening time at the bedside.
“Additional eyes with skill and knowledge to observe the patient and then report back and be part of the healthcare team. We’re not talking about virtual nursing instead of nurses, we’re talking about it as an augmentation,” said Manson.
Manson said there are some 90,000 nurses in the Commonwealth with about 47% of them working in hospitals. She said nurses are also found in long-term care, corrections, health departments, the military, and schools.
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