Work of the Task Force

After careful examination of the factors surrounding the impending nursing shortage in New York State, Carl T. Hayden, Chancellor of the Board of Regents, made the projected shortage a priority for the Regents requiring immediate action.

The Regents swiftly committed to several strategies within their purview including:

• Continue to uphold high professional standards
• Disseminate practice information for professionals and educate consumers
• Generate additional opportunities for students to learn about the nursing profession
• Continue to license nursing applicants promptly
• Benchmark other states and develop accurate data to determine the future need for nurses

Further, Chancellor Hayden called for the formation of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Nursing. Chancellor Hayden and his colleagues on the Board of Regents acknowledged the complexity of the predicted health care crisis and recognized that significantly addressing the shortage would require collaboration among many diverse stakeholders. He tapped Regent Diane O'Neill McGivern, a dedicated innovator in nursing education, to chair the Task Force. In addition to being the first nurse named to the Board of Regents in 1991, Regent McGivern is Head of the Division of Nursing at New York University.

"One important role of the Board of Regents is to identify public protection issues and to take action to address them swiftly. Nothing is more important to our future well being. Health care and education go hand-in-hand to make our State an economic leader and a good place to live."

Richard P. Mills, President of The University of the State of New York and Commissioner of Education

Regent McGivern invited twenty-four influential leaders in health care, education and government to participate in the Task Force. Members were selected to represent significant areas of responsibility uniquely positioned to contribute to the resolution of the shortage. Each individual is essential to the development of practical recommendations and to the implementation of solutions.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Nursing has a critical role in addressing the current nursing shortage, solutions to the problem, and the long-term future of nursing. Members assembled for two meetings, on June 28 and September 7, 2001, at the New York University Division of Nursing in New York City.

Regent McGivern convened the Task Force by calling upon members to take this unique opportunity to collaboratively develop solutions and strategically align them toward implementation and outcomes. The Task Force confirmed the factors leading to the shortage, detailed the intricate complexities of the shortage in diverse health care settings, and agreed upon the severity of the problem. Members acknowledged that addressing these comprehensive issues would require both long-term and short-term strategies.

"The primary goal of the Task Force is to collaboratively pursue solutions to the nursing shortage that can be implemented by Task Force members. Both short and long-term solutions must be identified."

Regent Diane O'Neill McGivern, Chair of the Task Force

As a result of an ambitious agenda and a steadfast commitment to a strong future for the nursing profession, the Task Force has unveiled a set of recommendations for resolving this looming health care crisis. The recommendations are unique in that they cut across the health care, education and government sectors.

Many Task Force members have identified areas of collaboration within on-going initiatives to expand or pursue jointly. Identifying existing opportunities for alliances will advance targeted solutions, facilitate commitments for follow-up action, and make a difference quickly.