Recruiting future nurses: a collaborative project

Area of Science:

• Health workforce development
• Community health education
• Nursing career outreach

Background:

• Societal involvement is crucial for ensuring adequate future healthcare professionals for rural and urban areas.
• A growing need exists for healthcare providers to meet the demands of diverse communities.
• Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) are key organizations in addressing healthcare workforce challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To expand health care career awareness efforts across North Carolina.
• To focus on increasing community awareness of nursing careers.
• To implement a community-driven approach to nursing career promotion.

Main Methods:

• Initiating and expanding health care career awareness programs through AHECs.
• Focusing specific efforts on nursing career awareness.
• Engaging the community in developing and promoting nursing career information.

Main Results:

• AHECs have broadened their health care career awareness initiatives.
• A specific AHEC project is actively promoting nursing career awareness within the community.
• The project utilizes collaborative efforts to maintain focus on nursing careers.

Conclusions:

• Community-centered initiatives are effective in promoting healthcare careers, particularly nursing.
• Ongoing collaborative efforts are essential for sustained nursing career awareness.
• Addressing healthcare workforce needs requires proactive and community-engaged strategies.