When I became a chief nursing officer, I felt it was my duty to volunteer my time serving nonprofit organizations that had their finger on the pulse of how we as a community are caring for all our residents, especially the underserved. I joined the board of trustees at Palm Health Foundation because of its leadership in developing innovative solutions for emerging health challenges and advancing the nursing profession.

 

As our healthcare system continues to evolve, collaborating with local partners like Palm Health Foundation helps us prepare nurses to deliver care in an ever-changing environment. The foundation relies on the insight of nursing leaders throughout Palm Beach County to determine the funding, education and initiatives needed to promote better health.

 

One of the most evident challenges is how the residents of Palm Beach County are aging at faster-than-ever rates. In the next decade, one out of every five people in our community will become a senior citizen, and 80% of those seniors will have chronic health conditions.

 

We know our aging population will require new ways for healthcare to be delivered, particularly in community-based settings and through home visits utilizing new technologies. Anticipating this trend early on, Palm Health Foundation established and funded the Volunteer Nurse Corps of Palm Beach County (VNC-PBC). Administered by Palm Beach Atlantic University, the VNC-PBC uses retired, volunteer and student nurses to help manage community care and home visits.

 

Responding to the changes in our population’s ethnic diversity is another area where nurses can make an impact. Data suggests that a more diverse nursing workforce is part of the solution to achieving health equity. When nurses understand a patient’s culture and community, they can establish better trust, comfort and overall patient satisfaction.

 

Nursing leaders can do their part through minority nurse recruitment. As a trustee at Palm Health Foundation, I am encouraged to see efforts to grow our nursing workforce and its diversity by providing annual scholarships to students who pledge to stay in Palm Beach County and work locally after they graduate. The foundation has awarded nearly $3 million in nursing scholarships since 2001.

Once hired, it is the nursing leader’s job to retain nurses. One important way is through gratitude. In a 2004 survey*, 84% of respondents stated that they do not feel respected and appreciated in some capacity within their organization. Palm Health Foundation, with co-sponsors Tenet Health and VITAS Healthcare, is giving all healthcare organizations a platform for recognizing their nurses through May’s Thank a Nurse campaign. I encourage my fellow nursing leaders to join us by encouraging their nurses to take part in two upcoming events:

• Nurses Night Out at Delray Marketplace on Thursday, May 2nd from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a free event sponsored by Hubbard Media for all Palm Beach County area nurses.

• Heart of Gold Reception on Thursday, May 9th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach. The event will honor the extraordinary work of local nurses and recognize Palm Beach County’s 2019 “Nurses of the Year.”

 

There are many things that we can do as nursing leaders to anticipate trends and overcome challenges. Collaborating with our healthcare partners and recognizing our nurses for their tireless efforts are both positive ways to help us, our patients, and our community reach their full health potential.