Nurse Faculty Shortage Budget Request Update
7-9-21 UPDATE – Wisconsin Nurses Applaud Governor Evers and The State Legislature for Inclusion Of Nurse Faculty Loan Program In The State Budget
The members of the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA) and the Administrators for Nursing Education in Wisconsin (ANEW) want to extend sincere thanks to Governor Evers and the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly for allocating $5 million to support increasing the supply of nurse educators in Wisconsin.
“Wisconsin is witnessing a crisis in a shortage of nurse educators. This comes at a time when the demand for nurses is exceeding the supply. The dollars allocated in the state budget through the development of a Nurse Educator Loan Program will begin to fill this gap”, states Elizabeth Markham, RN, PhD, President of the Wisconsin Nurses Association.
Linda Young, RN, PhD, Chair of the ANEW Legislative Committee states, “as chair of the ANEW Legislative Committee and Dean of UW – Eau Claire College of Nursing and Health Sciences, I want to convey how these dollars will contribute to addressing the health needs of Wisconsin. The insight of our policymakers is appreciated as our Wisconsin nursing education institutions now have a resource for growing the supply of nurse faculty. We cannot meet the demand for nurses if we do not have the nurse educators needed for the future. The budgeted dollars will encourage those nurses wanting to pursue a career as a nurse educator to enroll and graduate faster.”
The Nurse Educator Loan Program will be housed in the Higher Education Aids Board. The program will provide fellowships for students who enroll in doctor of nursing practice, doctor of philosophy in nursing, or master of science in nursing degree programs, postdoctoral fellowships to recruit faculty for nursing programs and education loan repayment assistance.
For a printable version of this press release, please click here.
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5-28-21 UPDATE – Wisconsin’s Legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC) approved the allocation of $5 million in the state budget to support nurse faculty shortage. The $5 million will be used to support nurses pursuing a Master’s Degree in Nursing in Nursing Education, a DNP or PhD with a commitment to teach in a Wisconsin School of Nursing for three years. The interested nurse will apply for the loans through Wisconsin’s Higher Education Aids Board. The next step is once JFC votes all of the budget categories it will go to the full legislative bodies for a vote. It will then go to the Governor for approval.
Thanks to all of you who contacted your legislators asking for their support.
5-25-21 Update – Call to Action! Please contact Joint Finance Committee NOW! Deadline is May 26 at 8:00 am
The members of the State Joint Finance Committee will be meeting on Wednesday May 26 to take up the Nurse Faculty Shortage Budget Request. There is a motion that will be introduced supporting $5 million to support nurses pursuing a Master’s in Nursing Education, a DNP or PhD in Nursing and agree to teaching in a Wisconsin School of Nursing for a minimum of three years after graduation.
Please contact the Joint Finance Committee members and ask them to support the Kooyenga-Kurtz Nurse Educator Budget Motion. The JFC member emails and message are below.
Joint Finance Committee Member Emails (cut and paste all of the email addresses below onto the TO LINE on an email from your home email address):
Rep.Born@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Marklein@legis.wi.gov; Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Bernier@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Ballweg@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov; Sen.Johnson@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Loudenbeck@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Kurtz@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Goyke@legis.wisconsin.gov; Rep.Neubauer@legis.wisconsin.gov
Please cut and paste the message below
Dear Joint Finance Committee member,
Wisconsin will be seeing a nursing shortage worse than what took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot respond to this shortage if we do not take care of the nurse educator shortage first. Please support the Kooyenga-Kurtz Nurse Educator Budget Motion.
I thank you in advance for your support of my request.
Sign with your name and credentials
The Nurse Faculty Shortage is one of WNA’s priorities for the 2021-2022 biennium.
March 2021 Update: WNA and the Administrators of Nursing Education in Wisconsin (ANEW) would like to see Wisconsin’s state biennial budget proposal presented by the Governor be improved. WNA and ANEW are launching a campaign to increase the budgeted dollars.
Background
According to the 2020 RN Workforce Report Wisconsin’s Nursing Programs in less than ten year will see a 58 percent reduction in nurse faculty. At the same time, In less than ten years 32, 000 RNs plan to leave direct patient care.
These forecasts call for an immediate action. The proposal that WNA and ANEW is advancing is for an allocation of $10 million for this biennium. The dollars will be used for two initiatives which are as follows:
- Provide forgivable grants for nurses to pursue any of three advanced degrees required to teach professional nursing in Wisconsin in exchange for a 3-year teaching obligation at a nursing school in Wisconsin once they complete their degree and ;
- Forgive a portion of qualifying student loans of an out-of-state nurse educator or appropriately credentialed practicing Wisconsin nurse in exchange for a 3-year teaching obligation at a nursing school in Wisconsin.
Call to Action
This is an official Call to Action, beginning with March 3, 2021 WNA’s Nurses Day of Action. WNA is asking that you contact your state legislators to let them know about the impact of not having enough nurse faculty will have on the supply of Wisconsin’s future nursing workforce and to request the they support the $10 million budget allocation.
Tips for writing to your legislator.
This campaign is to persuade your state legislators to support WNA and ANEW’s position on the need for more Nurse Faculty by allocating $10 million in the Wisconsin state budget. The $10 million will used to provide loan forgiveness, stipends and fellowships for those nurses wanting to pursue a career as a nurse educator in Wisconsin nursing education programs. WNA is requesting that you send an email to your legislators asking for the allocation of $10 million to grow the nurse faculty workforce. WNA will be providing assistance to you as you develop your email. Here are some tips that can assist you in formulating an impactful letter:
Show a connection – you are his/her constituent, and if you know them make sure you share that.
Make it personal – Let your legislators know:Let your legislators know: your name, what you do, (practicing nurse/nursing student/nurse educator) and what you have experienced — COVID-19 demonstrated the impact of not enough nurses on health care delivery,
Give the facts
- As of 2020, Wisconsin is experiencing a nurse shortage of 2,800.
- In less than ten years 32,000 RNs will be leaving direct patient care.
- In 2018 there were 1,256 nurse educators and of that 58% will be retired by 2030.
- Given the peak of Wisconsin’s pandemic, and growing number of older adults that will need nursing services, Wisconsin needs to be prepared
- Wisconsin graduates 3,000 new nursing graduates per year this will not meet future demands.
- Solution, provide funding in the state budget that will recruit nurses to earn a Master’s in Nursing Education, Doctor in Nursing Practice or PhD in nursing and recruit already prepared nurses to teach.
- Include a call to action – Ask your legislator to reply, and ask very directly whether he or she will support funding.
- Be respectful – Like everyone else, legislators dislike a threatening tone.
- Give thanks – Thank your legislator for their consideration of your request and that you look forward to hearing from him/her.
Resources
Video presentation explaining the nurse faculty shortage and the budgetary solution.
PowerPoint presentation on the nurse faculty shortage in Wisconsin.
Connection to WNA’s Nurses Voice legislator messaging platform. Nurse Voice