Council Recommendations

To ensure an available and prepared nursing workforce, academic institutions must consistently graduate nurses who are workforce-ready. This requires an academic pipeline that is accessible to students, offers robust support, and minimizes administrative and procedural barriers that could hinder timely progress through their studies

Recommends enhancements to the current computerized clinical placement system in Massachusetts and changes in clinical placement processes across the commonwealth. Provided a framework and budget for implementation of proposed changes to the system. Council voted to adopt this recommendation, and it was released to stakeholders, including the Department of Higher Education and the Board of Higher Education. The recommendation has been presented at numerous organizational meetings and forums and has received wide support for implementation. 

Links out to more than 25 sources that provide data on key factors that impact nurse retention across five different domains, including compensation, work environments, and well-being.

Details a funding proposal to support 500 faculty members pursuing professional certifications (CNE-cL & CHSE) and provides data on the number of part- and full-time faculty and the number of faculty on waivers for academic year 2018-19 and academic year 2021-22.

Outlines and makes recommendations to decrease the disparity in compensation between clinical nurses and nursing faculty.  This recommendation was a key component in a budgetary request to offer retention bonuses to Massachusetts faculty.

Proposes the creation of a program to fund individuals seeking advanced degrees in nursing education with the commitment to teach as nurse faculty in Massachusetts to address the 30% decline in nursing faculty. 

Overview of the main factors contributing to nursing faculty vacancies across the state, including low wages compared to clinical positions and a lack of incentives for preceptors and mentors. Identifies numerous potential solutions to address the shortage, including programs utilized in other states.

Defines the enhanced nurse licensure compact and the potential outcomes of Massachusetts entering it.  Key stakeholders have utilized this recommendation to advocate for the Nurse Licensure Compact. Additionally, the NFSNWC recognized the work nationally.

An examination of the Massachusetts Medication Administration Technician program was undertaken, and key recommendations were made regarding its expansion into other areas and the potential impacts of the proposal on patient safety and nursing care standards. This recommendation served as a basis for the proposed Advanced Health Care Aide program.

Many in the healthcare field do not understand the pivotal role that practical nurses play in the delivery of healthcare especially to underrepresented populations. This recommendation serves to not only inform regarding the role of practical nurses in Massachusetts but also examines the scope of practice as determined by the Massachusetts Nurse Practice Act and if changes to this are needed to better facilitate the role of licensed practical nurses.

Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) certification was a measure that the Simulation and Technology Committee recommended as a standard for simulation instructors across the commonwealth. This recommendation reflects a formal request for funding for the CHSE certification and validates this certification as a method to improve simulation instruction for healthcare programs across the commonwealth.

Recognizing the significance of simulation in nursing education, the Simulation Committee endeavored to assess its current usage throughout the commonwealth. The committee administered a survey late in 2023 to all participants of the centralized clinical placement system to gauge their familiarity with running effective simulation experiences and resources to support simulation at their nursing program. Simulation subject matter experts who participated in the committee reviewed the survey findings, identifying key trends and data points as well as identified evidence-based practices in simulation. This recommendation is the expansive work of this committee and makes key recommendations for enhancing the quality of simulation education in the commonwealth.

Describes several key recommendations aimed at reducing or eliminating barriers for students pursuing nursing education. The framework established in these recommendations is being utilized to craft wrap-around services for students within the commonwealth. The focus on healthcare organization and academic partnerships was recognized nationally by NFSNWC.

Details a plan to help support preceptors for nurse practitioners, which is key to addressing the primary care crisis in Massachusetts. The work has been developed into a robust plan to address the preceptor shortage. This recommendation received national attention as a key presentation at the NFSNWC Conference in June 2024.

Due to the need to educate more registered nurses in Massachusetts, this recommendation examined the barriers related to articulation of nursing course credit to achieve higher nursing degrees (LPN, ADN, BSN, etc.). This recommendation considers the strengths and limitations of the existing position statement on educational mobility for nurses and highlights the need to bolster participation with the Nurse Education Transfer Compact (NETC). Recommendations were made to expand both the NETC and the utilization of the MassTransfer system.

Nursing care is a cornerstone of quality, evidence-based, and patient-centered healthcare. Nurses serve in a wide range of settings and specialties, reflecting the diversity of their roles. While registered nurses (RNs) represent the largest segment of the nursing workforce in the United States, licensed practical nurses (LPNs)—also known as practical nurses (PNs) or licensed vocational nurses (LVNs)—form the second largest group.

This report outlines essential recommendations for strengthening the LPN pipeline through targeted investments in wraparound support services aimed at increasing LPN graduation rates and fostering a more diverse healthcare workforce.

Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) play a vital and expanding role in the nursing workforce, both nationally and within Massachusetts. For the purposes of this recommendation, IENs are defined as nurses who have completed their education and training outside of the United States and seek to continue their nursing careers here.

Describes the alarming trend of increasing violence towards healthcare professionals since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides potential solutions to curb this trend, including increasing training on things like de-escalation strategies, and highlights the two main bills before the Massachusetts legislature related to workplace violence.