The 2023 Washington State Legislative session funded an Initiative to support nursing education by addressing the critical need for clinical placement opportunities in Washington. The Washington State Clinical Placement Initiative aims to enhance learning experiences through increased clinical education and practice experiences for future nursing professionals.
The Clinical Placement Initiative emerges as a critical response to drive advancements in nursing education, which are needed to address persistent nursing shortages. With a commitment to expanding clinical placement opportunities, diversifying learning experiences beyond acute care settings, and working to address the overall shortage of nurse faculty, this initiative is set to unfold over a two-year timeline, ending in the summer of 2025.
WCN extends participation to anyone eager to make a positive impact. Potential stakeholders include:
-
- All nursing education programs
-
- All healthcare facilities
-
- Any organization that offers (or could potentially offer) clinical placement opportunities in WA State
-
- Any clinical placement stakeholder in WA State
To join us on this transformative journey, click the Stakeholder Registration link below. Upon registration, stakeholders will receive an invitation to join the Clinical Placement online community.
WCN invites stakeholders to actively participate in this transformative journey. We understand that your time is valuable, and we appreciate your commitment to reshaping nursing education. Stakeholders can expect a dynamic engagement process, with quarterly meetings providing opportunities for in-depth discussions and problem-solving. To ensure inclusivity, we are actively seeking representation from all regions, counties, and rural areas in Washington.
Initiative phases include:
- A comprehensive assessment and data-gathering approach to evaluate existing clinical placement practices.
- Identifying and engaging stakeholders and extending them an opportunity to engage in the work.
- The deployment of a digital communication platform to support ongoing conversations about clinical placement needs. The digital communication platform will also serve as a dynamic online community where new clinical site opportunities can be established and shared, and relationships are built to foster increased diversity within the clinical site landscape.
- Facilitated quarterly collaborative stakeholder meetings to address regional challenges, identify priority placement settings, and formulate a strategic plan to achieve an improved system of clinical education through statewide collaboration.
All these activities will inform policy recommendations at the end of the project life cycle to improve nursing clinical education in the future.
Heading the Clinical Placement Initiative is WCN’s Clinical Placement Associate, Lucy Merry. Lucy is responsible for coordinating all efforts related to the facilitation of this initiative. If you have any questions related to this initiative, please contact Lucy at LucyM@wcnursing.org.
Additionally, a remarkable panel of leaders will steer the project, bringing expertise from nursing education and healthcare. Their extensive involvement and credentials in this field highlight their dedication to steering this initiative toward redefining the learning experience of nursing students and ensuring the project’s alignment with their education needs.
By addressing these challenges, the project looks to pave the way for increasing the number of nursing students Washington State admits and graduates each year. Beyond overcoming immediate obstacles, this initiative aspires to innovate clinical education, particularly in rural regions like Eastern Washington. In doing so, this initiative firmly positions itself as a catalyst for reshaping the future of nursing education in Washington!
Seize the opportunity to make an impactful change in Washington’s nursing workforce today!
WCN Clinical Placement Initiative Frequently Asked Questions
(Click on below image to open as a PDF)
Want to learn more about the Washington State Clinical Placement Initiative? Read about it in our 2023 quarter 4 issue of WCN News.
(click on newsletter to open in full view.)
