RN Ambassador Program
The United States is projected to have a nursing shortage that is
expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows.
California's nursing shortage is unique in many ways.
- California has the least number of RNs per 100,000 population
in the country.
- The average age of an RN is 47-50 and may
be older in specialty areas.
- The state's population is
concurrently increasing in number as well as the population that is
65 years and older.
- The nursing workforce does not reflect
the diversity of the state.
- Tecent legislation mandates
staffing/patient ratios.
The Coalition for
Nursing Careers in California (CNCC) is an independent coalition
of health care organizations, hospital administrators, and nurse
educators and faculty working together to address the long term
nursing shortage in California. CCNC's primary means of addressing the
shortage is to recruit students to schools of nursing in order to
achieve an adequate and diverse nurse workforce to meet the safety and
quality care needs of Californians.
Stanford Health Care (SHC) is a participant in CNCC's RN Ambassador
Program. This is an outreach project which invites nurses throughout
California to speak to elementary, middle, and high school age
students about nursing as a career. Nurses are supported in the
development of their presentation through CNCC developed multi-media
tools designed to appeal to the age groups represented in the school Clinics.
The program provides the opportunity to demonstrate nursing
leadership while raising awareness about the vast opportunities
available in all levels of a nursing career. SHC nurses are excellent
representatives of the rewarding career of nursing and have enjoyed
connecting with the local community as RN Ambassadors.
Participation in the RN Ambassador program is supported by the
Professional Nurse Development Program (PNDP). For further information
discuss with your manager and email PNDP@stanfordmed.org with any
additional questions.
If you are a SHC nurse interested in participating in the RN
Ambassador program, please email: ProfessionalGrowthandRetentionCouncil@stanfordmed.org
for information.
Sources: www.cncc.org, www.aacn.org
