Nurse Practice Readiness Program

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The Maricopa County Student Nurse Practice Readiness Program was designed to address the shortage of qualified nurses to fill vacancies in the county and improve the readiness of new graduate nurses (NGNs). The program partnered with Robin Schaeffer Consulting, LLC to oversee the process and provide funding for preceptors, nursing faculties, and stipends for nursing students. The program's intended outcomes were to enhance partnerships between education and practice, increase the confidence of senior nurses, assist healthcare facilities in hiring well-trained nurses, and plan for future sustainability based on pilot success. However, high nurse vacancy rates, which can directly impact patient safety, are reported due to the aging and retiring nursing staff, an aging population requiring a higher level of nursing care, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The program also aimed to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) but did not apply to students. The overall program cost was $738,000, and the program was successfully piloted with 53 students enrolled in 2022. Monthly performance measures showed increasing participation, supervised hours, and patients served, and the program aims to expand to 1,800 student nurses by December 2026.