Several complex issues facing nursing are impeding Washington State’s ability to produce the nursing workforce needed by our growing and changing communities: a nursing faculty shortage; nursing education funding that fails to keep pace; and a lack of quality clinical practice experiences for all students. Coupled with these challenges is a national call to advance nursing education so that nurses have access to and can succeed at the baccalaureate and graduate levels.
To tackle these challenges and transform the state’s nursing education system, a group of Washington State nursing leaders has banded together to form a statewide initiative called Action Now!. Action Now! is spearheaded by WCN, the statewide central nursing resource center; the Council on Nursing Education in Washington State (CNEWS), the statewide organization of deans and directors of Washington nursing programs; and the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC), the state’s nursing regulatory board. Additional members of the coalition include the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.
Action Now!’s work is ongoing and at times we share calls to action requesting support from nurses and community members interested in supporting our goals and initiatives. To stay informed on what’s happening with Action Now! follow WCN on Facebook and/or subscribe to the WCN Newsletter, WCN News, and we’ll keep you up to date. If you have questions about Action Now!, or to contact the Action Now! team directly, please email ActionNow@wcnursing.org.