Nursing Profession Work Group Minutes
Fall Delegate Assembly UUP, Rochester NY
October 3, 2003
100pm 2:30pm
Attendance: E. Alleyne, O. Bouey, D. Curry, C. Braund, E.DeSimone, M. Livingston, C. Richmond, D. Smith, P. Strempel, V. Titloye, C. Torok. Guests: N. Balkon, E. Landy, D. Weisman, M. Willis.
I Presentation:
Relationship of Nursing Education to Mortality Rates.
1. O. Bouey presented recently published NIH data by Aiken et al. The report detailed the link between level of nursing education and mortality rates. It states that the higher the level of education, the lower the hospital rate of complications and mortality rate. Longevity of nursing practice had a small, but insignificant effect. It does not however substitute for level of education.
The NPWG must do what it can to promote recruitment and retention of nurses in NY State. (the current mean age for nurses in Medicine is 49, the current mean age for faculty is 55years)
The focus of this group should be to identify and analyze the declining workforce, and to develop a plan of action.
Recruitment and prepare nurses to eliminate the nursing shortage in NY in both clinical practice and education
Offer support for the development of SUNY programs to offer graduate education in Nursing. The proposed conference will address these issues.
II Conference Planning
E. Landy reported that UUP executive committee is supportive of the proposed conference. To be held in the fall 2004. The purpose of the conference must include the problems identified by the NPWG and solutions to conditions of employment of UUP members.
E. Landy will function as contact and liaison. The NPWG must contact her with the proposed dates ASAP.
Proposed date : 10/22 10/23. M. Livingston to determine if there is a conflict with NYSNA scheduled conference.
III. Impact of Distance Education on Nursing Shortage
Discussion ensued regarding the impact of distance education. There are too few seats and many qualified applicants to programs.
Faculty workload has increased tremendously. Example Graduate Pharmacology course at Stony Brook nursing is taught by one faculty. All grad. Students must take the course (750 students enrolled). There are no course caps given.
Faculty at Stony Brook told to decrease personnel by 12% . While there is no mandated over time for faculty, there is an expectation that all course work be covered regardless of workload.
IV. Campus Reports
Plattsburgh Major staffing problems exist. Dean is on medical leave, and the chair of nursing has become associate dean. D. Curry currently department chair. He is on a 10-month appointment and expected to assume all duties of the position. There is obvious disparity between the workloads of nursing faculty and those faculty in other departments (i.e. Basic science). The concern is that precedent setting in these issues becomes practice as usual.
(E. Landy reported that the Womens rights and concerns committee will be asked to address this. She reports that this committee is in the process of collecting data about gender inequity. Information about inequity among nursing faculty will be helpful.)
Utica Rome There is a new president, the academic leadership has resigned. There is now an interim dean during the time of CCNE accreditation process.
Westbury There are overload issues in terms of faculty workload.
Alfred - The school is unable to hire to faculty salaries are less than that of new graduate nurses.
Syracuse The School of Nursing has been absorbed into the School of Social Welfare. The BSN program is slated to close.
Brooklyn There is a joint effort on the part of the midwifery and nursing programs to combine courses. There was a 50% budget cut and a decrease in adjunct faculty.
Stony Brook There are currently 845 graduate students and 26 full time faculty. Of the 26, three are department chairs. Of the 26, three have tenure. The dean has retired as of 6/2003, but has remained until a new dean is chosen. She will then continue on one more year as faculty. There is one internal candidate and two external candidates for the position of dean. If no appointment has been made by January 2004, an interim dean will be appointed. At present, the duties and responsibilities of Dean are split among the three department chairs and one other Professor. There is no associate dean ( this position was vacated in December 20020.
Empire State There is a need for more faculty to manage the health services component of the curriculum.
Respectfully Submitted,
M. Elayne DeSimone