2020 Case Study

Strategy to Increase Percentage of BSN- Prepared Nurses by 2020

The ABC Healthcare Center is an acute care facility that has been providing healthcare for decades in the state of Florida. This organization functions under the functional structure and practices the participative leadership model with a top down flow communication module to communicate with their employees. One of the most important recommendations of the institute of medicine (IOM) 2011 to increase the number nurses with bachelor science of nursing (BSN) degree to eighty percent by 2020 (IOM, 2011). However, this recommendation can only be possible if health care employers are willing to do their part to help nurses fulfill this recommendation (Pittman, Bass, Hargraves, Herrera,

Health care organizations should encourage their nurses without BSN to enter baccalaureate nursing programs to earn a higher levels of nursing education. Nursing education leaders should join partnerships with stakeholders such as education accrediting institutions, private and public donors, and employers to ensure funding, monitor progress to accomplish this recommendation (IOM, 2011). Even though, studies have shown that 80 % of health care institutions either preferred or required newly hired nurses to have a bachelor’s degree, and most of the facilities offered some level of tuition reimbursement. However, only 25% required their nurses to earn a BSN or offered salary differentials on the basis of educational attainment of 9 % (Pittman, Herrera, Horton, Thompson, Ware, & Terry,

(2) Create a guiding coalition –For example, partner with nurse leaders, educational facilities and business that will support this goal. (3) Develop a vision and strategy – Develop a strategic nursing degree plan that will specifically be of support to the nurses that want to obtain their BSN to better themselves and patient outcomes. (4) Communicate the change vision –Inform employees about the new policies, goals and expectations in staff meeting, town hall meeting and during evaluations. (5) Empowerment –Inform and educate your employees on the benefits of self-empowerment and the advantages of having a BSN degree. (6) Generate short‐term wins – Giving raises and allowing promotions for those that achieve their BSN. (7) Consolidate improvement – Announce those that achieve their BSN degree in the newsletter and acknowledge them in staff meetings. (8) Institutionalization New- Promote those that earn the BSN and demote those that refuse to comply with the policy of going back to school (Appelbaum, Habashy, Malo, Shafiq,