A model to facilitate interactive planning

The IPEM has helped stakeholders in a very complex tertiary medical center to understand the importance of interactive planning. The need to do so was highlighted by nursing demand and shortage issues. Deliberate efforts to refine and to restructure patient care within a hospital necessitates multidisciplinary planning and problem solving, collaborative nurse/physician relationships, and sound recruitment/retention policies. The experience at one hospital shows how nurse executives can take ownership of issues that help to reduce nursing supply and demand problems. Restructuring of patient care is one method of addressing demand; supply can be addressed locally by collaborative relationships with schools of nursing to increase students' access to education. Enhancing professional nursing practice is the responsibility of nursing service executives as well as educators. Yet, ultimately, it is the hospital's professional environment and reward system that influences nurses' choice of practice setting.