N2K: Employer Sponsored Pathway to Health Careers

1. N2K: Employer Sponsored Pathway to Health Careers Presented by The Oregon Health Career Center

2. Why We’re Here “Our mission is to serve as the focus of a public/private partnership dedicated to addressing healthcare workforce shortages in Oregon via education and training, with a particular emphasis on diversity.”

3. Our Partners • Oregon Office of Rural Health • Oregon Workforce Investment Board • Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems • Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education • Oregon Department of Community Colleges & Workforce Development

4. Oregon’s Nurse Workforce Crisis “The nursing shortage is adversely affecting patient care, the safety and morale of the nursing workforce, and is driving up the cost of care. A worsening shortage is predicted over the next decade.” Northwest Health Foundation

5. Helping to Address Nursing Shortages Creating a Contract Education Model • Adds Educational Capacity • Back-up for Variable Need • Entirely Employer Paid

6. Changing the Paradigm Creating a Business Model • A Need (Demand) • An Education Service (Supply) • An Investment

7. An Investment Cost Totals

8. Benefits of a Contract Education Model • Supports place-bound students and incumbent workers • Utilizes the strength and economy-of-scale available through partnership • Actively engages employers

9. The N2K Model • Customized Contract Education • Incumbent Workers • Modified Course Schedule • Hospital RN’s as Clinical Adjunct Faculty • Student Support Services • Employee Returns to Work as an RN

10. Oregon Health Career Center • Design and Development • Project Management • Employer Support Services • Community College Support

11. Best Practices – A Model That Works • Chemeketa CC Cohort • Central Oregon CC Cohort • Clackamas CC/Kaiser Cohort • Portland CC Cohort • Clackamas CC Cohort (June ’08) • Statewide Cohort (Summer ’08)

12. Oregon’s Statewide Nursing Ed Program Key Elements • Flexible “Virtual” Cohorts • Innovative use of distance learning technologies • OCNE curriculum • Employer involvement and support

13. Oregon Consortium for Nursing • Partnership with OHCC to coordinate statewide curriculum delivery for contract education • Leadership to maintain high standards for this nursing education endeavor

14. Oregon’s Statewide Nursing Education Program • Initial cohort will include 18 - 24 qualified employee/students • Two or three geographic “clusters” of hospitals/community colleges will be included • Educational services will include a blend of distance learning, local college services and hospital learning sites.

15. Important Advantages • Addresses immediate needs of partner hospitals with severe nursing staff shortages • Doesn’t require a permanent commitment of limited college resources

16. Minimizes Impact on College Resources • all resources provided by participating colleges are negotiated in advance. • project costs incurred by participating colleges are fully paid by the N2K program.

17. Key Outcomes: Intended….. • Incumbent workers become nurses • Hospitals provide needed financial support • Increase in clinical training sites

18. ………and Unintended • Hospital employee morale benefit • Potential for new nursing faculty • Establishing partnerships that can lead to other collaborative opportunities

19. Is This Model Replicable? • Is there a need that’s difficult to fill? • Is there an atmosphere of trust and collaboration between college and industry? • Are all parties willing to participate proactively and openly? • Are all parties willing to think outside the box, question assumptions, explore new ways to build and deliver educational programs?

20. Gary Wappes President and CEO Oregon Health Career Center 503-682-1300 Ext. 104 E-mail: gwappes@ohcc.org www.ohcc.org