State of Wisconsin Initiative to Fast Track (SWIFT) Nurse Educators

"We are all aware of the upcoming nursing shortage and the many reasons for it. It is imperative that we have strong RN programs to insure we have a healthy workforce to meet our needs. This will not happen unless we make certain we have an adequate supply of qualified nurse educators. Unfortunately we are at a critical shortage of nurse educators which promises to worsen in the near future. We must find creative ways to enrich the number of faculty for nursing programs now, and in the years to come.

The SWIFT program is one initiative that will help us secure the number of nurse educators we need. Healthcare employers who rely on an ample pool of nurses must step up and contribute in order to secure their own future. I encourage nurse leaders to support SWIFT and consider the long term return on your investment. The future is in our hands."

Affirmation from Tim Gengler, Chief Nursing Officer, Aspirus Wausau Hospital, the first employer to agree to sponsor SWIFT candidates

The SWIFT Program is a a President's High Growth Job Training Initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to address the growing nursing faculty shortage in this state. The conceptual approach for SWIFT Nurse Educator was conceived by a group of nursing leaders from the Wisconsin Nursing Redesign Consortium, which is now incorporated as the Wisconsin Center for Nursing (WCN). The grant was written and submitted to the Department of Labor on behalf of UW System by Sally Lundeen, RN, PhD, FAAN, the Dean of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee College of Nursing.
 

The purpose of the SWIFT initiative is to develop and implement a comprehensive, long-term model for increasing the supply of nurse educators. Although this project is located in the state of Wisconsin, one of the goals is to disseminate the model and resulting recommendations so that other areas may benefit as well. The project is focused on developing partnerships among multiple stakeholders who share a substantial interest in resolving the shortage of nursing educators.
 

SWIFT Initiative Goals: SWIFT Summary Brochure

Goal 1: Increase by 120 the number of masters prepared nurses in Wisconsin committed to serving as nurse educators, with at least 20 of these candidates being from underrepresented minority groups. Prospective Candidates for Nurse Educator Training

Goal 2: Target nurses with associate and baccalaureate degrees to receive employer and community support to enroll in and complete UW masters degree programs for preparation as nurse educators and recruit non-nurses who want to become nurse educators into UW direct-entry masters programs in nursing. Statewide Partners

Goal 3: Enhance current partnership among UW nursing schools and Wisconsin Technical College nursing programs by improving pathways to masters education for nurses with associate degrees.

Goal 4: Implement and evaluate long-term partnerships among employers, nursing education programs, and local Workforce Development Boards to support nurse educator candidates throughout their masters programs. Statewide Partners

Goal 5: Establish a system for stabilizing the Wisconsin nurse workforce through consistent collection and analysis of nursing workforce data.

Goal 6: Disseminate information about the SWIFT initiative for consideration as a national model, including lessons learned and recommendations about statewide partnership development, resources required, and data needs.

The graphic below depicts the history and scope of the SWIFT Nurse Educator Initiative. Wisconsin health care employers and other leaders in nursing and health care began meeting in 2001 to address the nursing shortage. They identified key causes of this shortage, including the limited numbers of available nurse educators, and they formed the Wisconsin Nursing Redesign Consortium (WNRC). That group went on to develop multiple strategies to address the nursing shortage. The SWIFT proposal arose from this group of nursing and health care leaders, and its fundamental structure is one of partnerships among key stakeholders in the Wisconsin health care system. These stakeholders include the health care employers, the university and technical college nursing programs in the state, and the state Department of Workforce Development, including the regional Workforce Development Boards. The WNRC has now evolved into the Wisconsin Center for Nursing, formally incorporated in October, 2005.