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We are pleased to announce the release of the MDCH-Task Force on Nursing Practice Final Report!
MDCH-TFNP Final Report:
Summary (PDF)
Full Report (PDF)
About Us
Michigan and the nation are facing a severe nursing shortage predicted to last through 2030 1. The Governor created the position of Chief Nurse Executive (CNE) and in 2004 appointed Jeanette W. Klemczak, MSN, RN, FAAN as the first holder of that office. The CNE is responsible for addressing the nursing shortage (it is estimated that Michigan will have a shortage of 18,000 nurses by 2015 2) and assuring a continuous supply of high quality nurses and other healthcare professionals to meet the needs of Michigan residents. This is a unique position -- Michigan is the only state with a Chief Nurse Executive (see www.michigan.gov/mdch/ocne).
The Office of the Chief Nurse Executive (OCNE) is housed in the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and is funded through the Nurse Professional Fund 3, a restricted fund that receives a portion of nurse licensure fees. Thus, the Chief Nurse Executive is supported by nurses to address nursing policy issues (such as the nursing shortage), improve nursing education and practice to ensure patient care and safety, and look to the future healthcare of the public and the needs of the nurses who will provide much of that healthcare. These are major issues during a time when the “baby-boom” generation is retiring and healthcare reform is likely to add 500,000 to 1 million newly insured Michigan residents to those seeking healthcare services.
Since 2005, the Center for Nursing Workforce & Policy at the Michigan Public Health Institute 4 (MPHI-CNWP) has assisted the OCNE in identifying and articulating nursing concerns, developing strategies and action plans to address those concerns, acquiring information to inform policy development, organizing and staffing task forces on nursing issues, facilitating the activities of the Coalition of Michigan Organizations of Nursing (COMON), evaluating programs, and reporting on outcomes and progress.
1 Buerhaus, P I (2008). Current and Future State of the US Nursing Workforce, Journal of the American Medical Association. The current adequacy of the nursing supply is just a “blip” related to poor economic conditions; the shortage will again be obvious as soon as economic conditions start to improve.
2 Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (2004). The Health Care Sector and Michigan’s Economy: p. 26, plus projections from federal sources (US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics & US DHHS HRSA Bureau of Health Professions).
3 Michigan Public Health Code, PA 368 of 1978 as amended. Article 15, Section 16315 (6)-(8).
4 This MPHI program was originally the Center for Advancing Community Health. In 2008, the name of the program was changed to reflect the primary focus of its work.