Eliminating the nursing shortage

In 2008, an independent consulting firm calculated that there was an annual shortage of 700-1000 nurses in Chicago. The shortage was due in large part to a shortage of seats in nursing programs, and to student retention issues. The demand lessened with the onset of the recession, but healthcare employers continue to report demand for trained nurses.

In partnership with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council (MCHC), CWIC worked with new and existing nursing schools to create more than 900 new seats across the city, enough to close the projected gap in the long-term need for nurses in Chicago; and improved retention rates for at-risk CCC nursing students from 63% to 100% through a new nursing scholars program.

Having solved the nursing shortage for the foreseeable future, CWIC and MCHC will continue to assist the City of Chicago in developing and implementing a health care sector initiative through MCHC’s Health Care Workforce Institute. Activities include:

• Improving retention rates for at-risk CCC nursing students through the nursing scholars program
  
  
• Using labor market data to focus on three main areas of health care workforce development: 1) Health sciences education for youth; 2) Post-secondary health care education; and 3) Incumbent and displaced worker career development and advancement in health care
  
  
• Defining strategies and developing programs/services that have the highest likelihood for success
  
  
• Identifying resources and necessary expertise to successfully implement strategies and programs/services
  
  
• Measuring and successfully communicating outcomes
  
  
• Sharing strategies and leveraging available resources
  
  
• Continuing to support the operation and curriculum design for the Insitituto Health Sciences Career Academy
  
  
• Forecasting workforce needs in Health Information Technology that will arise over the next five years as hospitals and physicians move to adopt electronic health care systems
  
  
• Working with the State of Illinois on a regional framework for the nursing workforce