ECTC Hosts Kentucky Nursing Capacity Consortium Meeting
By Jaime Thomas
![Nursing consortium]()
“It’s about having a seat at the table,” said Kim Dees, co-chair of Kentucky’s Center to Champion Nursing’s Action Coalition and chairwoman of the Kentucky Nursing Capacity Consortium (KNCC), a statewide organization that supports and advocates for nurses and the nursing field.
The group met recently at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, where members voted unanimously to transition from a capacity consortium to the Kentucky Center for Nursing. With this designation the group will be better able to advocate for nurses as healthcare evolves across the state, Dees said.
KNCC formed in 2008 to find ways to increase the number of highly trained practicing nurses in Kentucky; it has grown into an organization that champions all aspects of nursing.
“We’re a viable, grassroots organization,” Dees said. With more than 60 members from all over the state, the group meets regularly in various places throughout Kentucky to discuss strategic goals and work on issues related to nursing.
After its meeting at ECTC, the group likely will see its membership, and its impact, increased. “We will be converting to a business model and expanding our membership to encompass branches of healthcare not currently represented, such as extended care,” said Susan Mudd, ECTC’s nursing program coordinator and KNCC member.
For now the Center will be virtual, but members will vote at a future meeting to determine where it will be located.
“We work as one for nursing and healthcare,” Dees said. “Nursing has a lot of faces across the commonwealth and the Center will strive to represent nursing as a whole.”
The group has been Kentucky’s recognized Regional Action Coalition for the Center to Champion Nursing since 2011 and its members hope to help nurses move forward as an important piece in the evolution of healthcare in the state.
“The whole face of healthcare is changing and the Center plans additional data gathering, research and collaboration to insure that happens in the best way possible for the people of Kentucky,” Dees said. “The group enjoys a wide base of nurse leader representation and support from academic institutions, healthcare organizations, consumer advocacy groups and governmental agencies.”
In addition to the new Center, during its recent meeting KNCC also discussed findings on an education mobility survey, which was led by Nora Warshawsky of the University of Kentucky. The study surveyed nurses and hospitals to determine what percentage of nurses planned to further their education, and what barriers exist for doing so. The results will be published in the September issue of Journal of Nursing Administration.
“Many nurses don’t have financial support for returning to school or can’t see the benefit,” Dees said. “We hope to address those and other concerns.”
According to Dees, recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing report include having higher numbers of nurses with degrees and post-graduate education and an increased number of nurses on hospital and other boards where they can influence the transformation of healthcare.
“Over one third of Kentucky hospital chief executive officers are nurses,” she said. “We need graduates who are comfortable in a workplace that is evolving and highly technical.”
When beginning her career as a nurse, Dees never dreamed that she would run a hospital, but she did. “I’d like to put that on the career path of nurses who have leadership ability,” she said. “If you’re going to transform healthcare, being in a CEO position is a great place to influence change.”
As healthcare continues to evolve, the new Kentucky Center for Nursing wants to be a voice that’s heard. “It’s about leaving a legacy,” Dees said. “We are accomplishing things together that we couldn’t as individuals.”
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Photo attached:
Cutline - Several members of the Kentucky Nursing Capacity Consortium met at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College recently to discuss nursing-related issues. Pictured are a handful of attendees, from left, Susan Mudd, ECTC; Janie Health, University of Kentucky; Nora Warshawsky, UK; Kim Dees, Kentucky Hospital Association; Cathy Valasquez, Brown Cancer Center; Marcia Hobbs, Murray State University; Mary Bennet, Western Kentucky University; and Pam Hagan, Kentucky Board of Nursing.
By Jaime Thomas
“It’s about having a seat at the table,” said Kim Dees, co-chair of Kentucky’s Center to Champion Nursing’s Action Coalition and chairwoman of the Kentucky Nursing Capacity Consortium (KNCC), a statewide organization that supports and advocates for nurses and the nursing field. The group met recently at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, where members voted unanimously to transition from a capacity consortium to the Kentucky Center for Nursing. With this designation the group will be better able to advocate for nurses as healthcare evolves across the state, Dees said.
KNCC formed in 2008 to find ways to increase the number of highly trained practicing nurses in Kentucky; it has grown into an organization that champions all aspects of nursing.
“We’re a viable, grassroots organization,” Dees said. With more than 60 members from all over the state, the group meets regularly in various places throughout Kentucky to discuss strategic goals and work on issues related to nursing.
After its meeting at ECTC, the group likely will see its membership, and its impact, increased. “We will be converting to a business model and expanding our membership to encompass branches of healthcare not currently represented, such as extended care,” said Susan Mudd, ECTC’s nursing program coordinator and KNCC member.
For now the Center will be virtual, but members will vote at a future meeting to determine where it will be located.
“We work as one for nursing and healthcare,” Dees said. “Nursing has a lot of faces across the commonwealth and the Center will strive to represent nursing as a whole.”
The group has been Kentucky’s recognized Regional Action Coalition for the Center to Champion Nursing since 2011 and its members hope to help nurses move forward as an important piece in the evolution of healthcare in the state.
“The whole face of healthcare is changing and the Center plans additional data gathering, research and collaboration to insure that happens in the best way possible for the people of Kentucky,” Dees said. “The group enjoys a wide base of nurse leader representation and support from academic institutions, healthcare organizations, consumer advocacy groups and governmental agencies.”
In addition to the new Center, during its recent meeting KNCC also discussed findings on an education mobility survey, which was led by Nora Warshawsky of the University of Kentucky. The study surveyed nurses and hospitals to determine what percentage of nurses planned to further their education, and what barriers exist for doing so. The results will be published in the September issue of Journal of Nursing Administration.
“Many nurses don’t have financial support for returning to school or can’t see the benefit,” Dees said. “We hope to address those and other concerns.”
According to Dees, recommendations from the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing report include having higher numbers of nurses with degrees and post-graduate education and an increased number of nurses on hospital and other boards where they can influence the transformation of healthcare.
“Over one third of Kentucky hospital chief executive officers are nurses,” she said. “We need graduates who are comfortable in a workplace that is evolving and highly technical.”
When beginning her career as a nurse, Dees never dreamed that she would run a hospital, but she did. “I’d like to put that on the career path of nurses who have leadership ability,” she said. “If you’re going to transform healthcare, being in a CEO position is a great place to influence change.”
As healthcare continues to evolve, the new Kentucky Center for Nursing wants to be a voice that’s heard. “It’s about leaving a legacy,” Dees said. “We are accomplishing things together that we couldn’t as individuals.”
-30-
Photo attached:
Cutline - Several members of the Kentucky Nursing Capacity Consortium met at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College recently to discuss nursing-related issues. Pictured are a handful of attendees, from left, Susan Mudd, ECTC; Janie Health, University of Kentucky; Nora Warshawsky, UK; Kim Dees, Kentucky Hospital Association; Cathy Valasquez, Brown Cancer Center; Marcia Hobbs, Murray State University; Mary Bennet, Western Kentucky University; and Pam Hagan, Kentucky Board of Nursing.