07/01/2009 - Strategic Planning Committee Discusses Nurse ShortageJeanette Klemczak, RN, Chief Nurse Executive for the State of Michigan, joined the MHA Strategic Planning Committee at its recent meeting in Lansing, providing an overview of the nursing shortage confronting Michigan hospitals and other providers. Klemczak noted that 35 percent of active Michigan registred nurses, and 40 percent of active licensed practical nurses, are over the age of 55. Expected retirements, combined with bottlenecks in the nurse education pipeline, could lead to a nurse shortage of nearly 30,000 by 2020. Committee members observed that nurse staffing challenges have eased significantly in 2009, due to economic pressures that have curtailed patient volume, led many recently retired nurses to return to the workplace, and led existing nurses to increase hours. Klemczak stated that this phenomenon is likely a short-term "blip" that will not significantly alter the projected shortages over the long term. She also credited the MHA and its member hospitals for their leadership on the "ACE Placement" initiative, a Web-based system providing Michigan health care and educational institutions with an automated clearinghouse for all clinical placements for students.
The committee also discussed health care information technology, federal health reform, and potential association activities related to LEAN management, which is currently being used by many hospitals and is a key element of the current MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality obstetrics collaborative.