Latest articles about Health Human Resources http://www.longwoods.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Wed, 3 Dec 2008 10:52:03 -0500 Wed, 3 Dec 2008 10:51:47 -0500 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.9) http://www.feedforall.com With more than one million people in Canada employed in health occupations it is crucial to understand who they are, their work patterns and how their workforce is evolving is vital in planning for the future of health care in Canada. CIHI's five reports provides the data of seven Canadian major health professions. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20320 83DFB68D-1785-40A7-9FAD-5D3EE453E143 Wed, 3 Dec 2008 10:51:47 -0500 In spite of the long history of nurse practitioner practice in primary healthcare, less is known about nurse practitioners in hospital-based environments because until very recently, they have not been included in the extended class registration (nurse practitioner equivalent) with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Recent changes in the regulation of nurse practitioners in Ontario to include adult, paediatric and anaesthesia, indicates that a workforce review of practice profiles is needed to fully understand the depth and breadth of the role within hospital settings. Here, we present information obtained through a descriptive, self-reported survey of all nurse practitioners working in acute care settings who are not currently regulated in the extended class in Ontario. Results suggest wide acceptance of the role is concentrated around academic teaching hospitals. Continued barriers exist related to legislation and regulation as well as understanding and support for the multiple aspects of this role beyond clinical practice. This information may be used by nurse practitioners, nursing leaders and other administrators to position the role in hospital settings for greater impact on patient care. As well, understanding the need for regulatory and legislative changes to support the hospital-based Nurse Practitioner role will enable greater impact on health human resources and healthcare transformation. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20291&cat=576&page=1 14BEB8DD-AC23-4EAA-9C53-3921B776C23F Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:21:50 -0500 The purpose of this paper is to present a critical analysis of the applied degree in nursing as an alternative to collaborative models of undergraduate education delivery by different post-secondary institutions. The notion of having multiple levels of entry into nursing (Northrup et al. 2004) and the authority of colleges to award degrees in nursing (Skolnik 1994) have important practical implications for the profession. Since there is a paucity of Canadian literature about applied degrees in nursing, this paper will make an important contribution to the field of nursing education. Due to the collaborative partnerships that have emerged in many jurisdictions in order to meet the baccalaureate degree as the entry-to-practice requirement, an analysis of the Applied Degree in Nursing is relevant and timely. The paper provides a brief history of the baccalaureate degree as the entry-to-practice requirement for nursing, along with an overview of the rationale for the baccalaureate degree from regulatory, research, academic and practice perspectives. Through an analysis of the benefits, limitations and implications of the applied degree, we conclude that this new applied baccalaureate challenges nursing's status as an academic discipline. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20289&cat=576&page=1 C35D3180-8473-4F33-88E8-0738028E6489 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:20:59 -0500 In many parts of Canada, nursing care is provided by registered nurses (RNs) and licensed/registered practical nurses (L/RPNs). The profession, regulatory bodies and employers are struggling to define their similarities and differences in their attempts to ensure patients are receiving the right care by the right care provider. An understanding of the decision making of nurses presents one way of differentiating between their overlapping roles. Nursing decision-making is a complex cognitive process. Assessment occurs and problems are postulated. Possible alternatives, with their risks and benefits, outcomes and likelihood of outcomes are identified. Preferences and values are considered, and an intervention is selected. The best way to implement an intervention is determined, implementation follows and evaluation takes place. In this research, a triangulated design was used to examine and compare the decision-making process of RNs and L/RPNs. Analysis revealed that nurses consider themselves to be frequently involved in elements that are part of the decision-making process. Nurses attribute the difficulty encountered to the context within which decision making occurs. Differences exist between the RN and L/RPN in the frequency of their involvement with most of the elements of the process. Differences in difficulty encountered with these elements were less pronounced. Decision-making is integral to all aspects of patient care. It is a complex cognitive process, involving the selection of an intervention or action from one or more possible alternatives. Much of the research on nursing decision making has focused on the registered nurse (RN); little is known about decisions made by the licensed/registered practical nurse (L/RPN). In addition, much of the recent research has examined factors that influence decision making without looking at differences between these two categories of nurses. This paper presents the results of a study that included both RNs and L/RPNs. A triangulated methodology involving quantitative and qualitative methods was used. Data were collected from RNs and L/RPNs through a survey and focus-group interviews. This paper describes the decision making as reported by RNs and L/RPNs and compares the decision-making process described by these nurses. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20288&cat=576&page=1 36D57E08-A34F-4C3C-981D-47C6D70D3116 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:19:12 -0500 This article calls upon Canadian nursing leaders to examine the merits and downsides of the new practice doctorate degree - the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The impetus for the DNP arose from within the American nursing profession in order to address the knowledge and skills needed by advanced practice nurses to work in today's complex healthcare environment. The DNP is the newest practice doctorate degree and in 2015 will be the entry to practice degree required of all new advanced practice nurses in the United States. Advanced practice nurses who will have the practice doctorate include clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and nurse anaesthetists. With the establishment and acceptance of the DNP in the United States, American advanced practice nurses will have a different knowledge base than Canadian advanced practice nurses. The evolution and state of advanced practice nursing in Canada are discussed in this article. Canadian nursing leaders must discuss the DNP, its merits and downsides within the Canadian context and begin to make informed decisions about whether or not the DNP should come to Canada. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20286&cat=576&page=1 0276827F-201E-45BA-B5CB-9A2DC1DEAC79 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:18:42 -0500 In 2003, Hamilton Health Sciences embarked on an initiative to improve and standardize nursing schedules and scheduling practices. The scheduling project was one of several initiatives undertaken by a corporate-wide Nursing Resource Group established to enhance the work environment and patient care and to ensure appropriate utilization of nursing resources across the organization's five hospitals. This article focuses on major activities undertaken in the scheduling initiative. The step-by-step approach described, plus examples of the scheduling resources developed and samples of extended-tour schedules, will all provide insight, potential strategies and practical help for nursing administrators, human resources (HR) personnel and others interested in improving nurse scheduling. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20285&cat=576&page=1 91B9DC97-2C8E-4258-AFFF-3E8EE1FC1EE7 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:18:23 -0500 Spending on drugs is growing at a faster rate than spending on hospitals or physicians, according to new figures from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20277&page=1 379D63EF-2C12-4EE3-BC33-0943CEC1D179 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:02:20 -0500 The authors explore the power and flexibility of using an operations research methodology known as linear programming to support health human resources (HHR) planning. The model takes as input estimates of the future need for healthcare providers and, in contrast to simulation, compares all feasible strategies to identify a long-term plan for achieving a balance between supply and demand at the least cost to the system. The approach is illustrated by using it to plan the British Columbia registered nurse (RN) workforce over a 20-year horizon. The authors show how the model can be used for scenario analysis by investigating the impact of decreasing attrition from educational programs, changing RN-to-manager ratios in direct care and exploring how other changes might alter planning recommendations. In addition to HHR policy recommendations, their analysis also points to new research opportunities. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20159&cat=572&page=1 8B6191C3-41E5-46E1-A9F5-543E16E79FA0 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:09:29 -0500 To ensure an adequate supply of physicians for the future, Canadian faculties of medicine have been expanding and modifying physician training at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels with the intention of producing more physicians and addressing long-standing challenges in the Canadian physician workforce. While these medical education initiatives may partly address these goals, the lack of alignment between health services policy and education policy may well lead to failures and disappointing results. The authors argue that changes in related healthcare policy are required both to support the intended outcomes and to sustain innovations in medical education. From their perspective as medical educators, the authors describe seven key gaps in this alignment, identify those who are in a position to address them and call for ongoing opportunities to identify, discuss and address alignment of policy with other initiatives at the national and provincial levels. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20264&cat=572&page=1 1973AD75-5A96-45F1-ACD1-9FDB08B5BB95 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:04:34 -0500 A sneak preview into a large-scale study on a workplace obesity program shows modest improvements in key health indicators for participants. Researchers examined two health promotion programs for employees at Dow Chemical Company. Nine worksites offered a new weight management program aimed at creating a healthier work environment. The other three locations relied on a health improvement program that focused on education and behavioural changes. The program used by the nine sites was designed to help employees reduce their calorie intake and become more physically active while at work. The company added nutritious snacks to vending machines and low-calorie meals to cafeteria menus. It also created onsite walking trails and pedometer programs, as well as setting up one-on-one health coaching for participants. After just one year, researchers noted that workers who participated in the workplace intervention program showed better results on weight management, decreased tobacco use, and lower blood pressure, compared to workers at the other three locations. "These are early findings from a longer and larger multi-site study that examines the effects of introducing relatively low-cost environmental and ecological interventions at the workplace, aimed at curbing the growth of overweight and obesity among workers," says Dr. Ron Goetzel, a research professor of health policy and management at Emory University. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20256 1538183C-AB39-4FA0-8B82-F00515B4689E Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:23:15 -0500 A time-and-motion study was conducted in response to perceptions that the surgical nursing staff at a Montreal hospital was spending an excessive amount of time on non-nursing care. A sample of 30 nurse shifts was observed by trained observers who timed nurses' activities for their entire working shift using a hand-held Personal Digital Assistant. Activities were grouped into four main categories: direct patient care, indirect patient care, non-nursing and personal activities. Break and meal times were excluded from the denominator of total worked hours. A total of 201 working hours were observed, an average of 6 hours, 42 minutes per nurse shift. The mean proportions of each nurse shift spent on the main activity categories were: direct care 32.8%, indirect care 55.7%, non-nursing tasks 9.0% and personal 2.5%. Three activities (communication among health professionals, medication verification/preparation and documentation) comprised 78.9% of indirect care time. Greater time on indirect care was associated with work on night shifts and on the short-stay surgical unit. Subsequent work reorganization focused on reducing time spent on communication and medications. The authors conclude that time-and-motion studies are a useful method of monitoring appropriate use of nursing staff, and may provide results that assist in restructuring nursing tasks. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20057&cat=562&page=1 F7F1B996-BFFD-4B70-8AAE-485FD3E32E14 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:24:13 -0400 More US hospitals are addressing nursing shortages by improving working conditions rather than giving nurses financial incentives. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20096&page=1 EBD58C1E-9F11-4C0B-9F35-F149A6785F3B Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:14:28 -0400 Health human resources have long been a top issue facing Canada's healthcare policy makers and managers. It is also an issue that has seen a dramatic shift in terms of decision-makers' perspectives in recent years. At the beginning of this decade, decision-makers tended to have a rather simplistic understanding of health human resources. In particular, they appeared preoccupied with issues of supply and, as such, were eager to learn about forecasting models to plan for cycles of surplus and shortage (Gagnon et al. 2001). Several short years later, there was a progression in their thinking - they adopted an appreciation for issues of the workforce (i.e., facilitating inter-professional collaboration and regulating scope of practice) versus those of the workplace (i.e., organizational structures and management practices and workplace productivity, stress and absenteeism) (Dault et al. 2004). Today, decision-makers have developed an even more sophisticated understanding of the issues. They have an appreciation for new models for staffing (i.e., new team mixes that include non-traditional health system workers), new models of practice (i.e., collaborative models of care and self-care) and strategies to keep workers, healthy, happy and in the workplace longer (Law et al. 2008). http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20086&cat=563&page=1 004099B8-C633-4BE9-B828-78BCCF2CF465 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:07:54 -0400 For three days in September 2007, chief executive officers (CEOs) from health systems and organizations across Canada gathered in Banff, Alberta, for the inaugural Healthcare CEO Leadership Summit. We came together to consider and debate two of the most pressing issues facing the transformation of our country's healthcare environment: health human resources (HHR) and public-private partnerships (P3s). (This gathering, from September 14 to 16, was made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Hoffmann-La Roche Limited. HHR and P3s were selected as topics based on an extensive needs assessment carried out among participants prior to the meeting.) http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20089&cat=563&page=1 F420EB9A-C85A-4227-8FD3-82903818E524 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:02:06 -0400 Employers with paid-time-off programs that don't distinguish between scheduled leave, unscheduled leave, sick days and vacation days may be missing out on an opportunity to reduce health care costs and improve productivity. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=20018 3623AF5B-77F8-4AEA-ACE6-9047055C4848 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:31:45 -0400 Focusing health efforts on people with chronic conditions is a challenge, so behavioral health problems within this group often are overlooked, experts say. Employers may admit that behavioral health is important, but may not realize how unaddressed problems can drive medical costs. More aggressive behavioral health tactics are being developed to tackle the nexus of mental and physical health. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19996 33AEE793-9D62-4EFB-90B1-61C07A6AC7BD Wed, 6 Aug 2008 13:29:57 -0400 Dental illness is the most common of all chronic health concerns and accounts for significant loss of workforce productivity and significant health care costs. Studies show workers who get their dental care completed and maintain good oral health do far better on the job than those who do not. Oral health reduces the chance for emergency visits and the pain and discomfort that can harm a worker's focus and confidence. Workers, confident about their family's health, are more focused, productive and secure. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19968 E14180C1-6F81-4638-BA34-17CBD00756DC Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:22:52 -0400 A new online survey of 312 employers conducted by Hewitt Associates reveals paramedical benefits are well-established in Canadian benefit plans and very much appreciated by covered employees. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19950 4805E56E-C844-47E6-9224-CA10A93DFFD0 Mon, 7 Jul 2008 14:53:34 -0400 A one-time, $1-million grant from the province of British Columbians to the National Institute of Disability Management and Research will encourage public and private sector employers to adopt return-to-work and disability management programs. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19913 E5B15D18-BE4A-4A26-8B19-47A90E4561AA Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:04:59 -0400 Growing concerns about developing chronic diseases, increasing illness from workplace-related stress, and knowledge gaps about health risks are challenging both Canadian employees and employers. To mitigate these threats to employee health and organizational productivity, leading employers have developed strategies and tactics to improve knowledge of prevention, and increase participation in wellness programs. These findings and others are drawn from the 11th edition of The sanofi-aventis Healthcare Survey released May 13, 2008. The national survey of 1,500 health benefits plan members is the most comprehensive research to examine the attitudes and preferences of Canadians about their employer-sponsored health benefit plans. The survey also explores employee perceptions about the role of the public healthcare system and the workplace. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19804 0126962C-B52F-4104-8C63-160D5833B18D Fri, 16 May 2008 10:58:08 -0400 Almost half of Canadian workers (42%) went to work sick or exhausted at least once in 2007, according to Desjardins Financial Security's study, The Survey on Health released to coincide with Mental Health Week. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19774 21F3EB60-0EEF-4D63-ABEB-138602636F5A Mon, 5 May 2008 16:19:29 -0400 The results of the 2008 Great Place to Work Institute surveys are in. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19768 78658DB6-78BE-4586-9AEE-8D43231DFEE4 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:04:48 -0400 Today's employers seem increasingly motivated to invest in programs that encourage good mental and physical health amongst their workforces. There is also an overall recognition that increased return on investment can be realized to the greatest... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19734 A279CEAF-A2F4-4B0E-90E3-69F5985B5732 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:04:25 -0400 More companies are helping staff shape up in effort to cut health-care costs, boost productivity, reduce absenteeism and retain talent. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19733 6ABD597D-F353-4049-A1FB-E079C45AAD78 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:04:03 -0400 The financial health of Canadian pension plans showed a marked decline at the end of the first quarter of 2008, to levels not seen since the middle of 2005, the Mercer Pension Health Index shows. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19732 AA0F38C8-3244-4F52-872F-987C62591261 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:03:38 -0400 A new incentive program, developed in partnership with the University of Manitoba medical school to boost residency opportunities for Manitoba-trained graduates and top talent from outside the province, is the centrepiece of an enhanced,... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19731 80E7ECD0-8C1E-48BF-9563-F9140776FDA7 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:03:14 -0400 The B.C. government has changed some laws related to health-care unions in the wake of a court ruling on the privatization of thousands of jobs in the health sector. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19728 517E686C-6A9D-42DC-9CED-C3A7C99A0B1C Fri, 2 May 2008 16:02:54 -0400 What will the healthcare system and healthcare organizations look like in the year 2020? What requirements will they have for health human resources? These two questions require both a careful consideration of the general direction of change in... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19715 1FEF0E51-A5AB-49D7-A00B-204467CC7037 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:02:29 -0400 Patient safety is a basic goal of all Canadian healthcare organizations. Yet we still have much to learn about the determinants of safety. One of the biggest knowledge gaps is how workplace factors influence safety outcomes. As the 2004 Canadian... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19714 D4333208-20D9-4179-8E71-F22E07452366 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:02:03 -0400 Canadian private health care plans continue to face double-digit cost increases in 2008, according to "Canadian Health Care Trend Survey", a nationwide survey of insurers and Blue Cross agencies recently released by Buck Consultants. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19682 2249B587-0012-4650-A1B3-507BC4127075 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:01:32 -0400 By 2009, nearly 55% of U.S. corporations plan on offering a consumer-directed health plan, reports Watson Wyatt and the National Business Group on Health. After surveying 453 companies that employ 8.4 million workers, Watson and NBGH found... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19637 9360CE17-34D8-4EF9-9B51-CC07E0E87A39 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:01:10 -0400 With the U.S. struggling with a growing obesity epidemic, employers across the nation are wondering which fitness, exercise and weight-loss regimens might best fit with their workforce. There are dozens of concepts and programs available for... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19636 0CFF2CFB-A7A6-4C14-BBB2-79FD450E02C5 Fri, 2 May 2008 16:00:33 -0400 A new study led by York University researchers reveals that a staggering number of Canadians working in long-term care facilities suffer violence on the job. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19635 CE73E880-E73C-4394-BB37-0F4DA5C6CCAD Fri, 2 May 2008 16:00:07 -0400 January is the month when many people set fitness goals and resolve to lose weight, with varying degrees of success. Since overweight and obesity remain widespread, many employers are using disease management programs and incentives to encourage... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19513 A5D4F691-A0EA-4A98-B62B-23C5A90BCCFF Fri, 2 May 2008 15:59:38 -0400 A B.C. union local has pioneered a unique partnership with a disability management company and an insurer that is saving money and getting employees back to work sooner - despite initial philosophical concerns about including access to private... http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19512 9B100C69-A485-4A02-AA6E-F20CA8F98070 Fri, 2 May 2008 15:59:08 -0400 An analysis of Canadian job search trends indicates that career opportunities are opening up in unprecedented numbers. According to current demographics, the mass retirement of baby boomers is changing the landscape of our labour market. These days, for every one person coming into the Canadian workforce, two are leaving their job. And, as seasoned professionals transition out of the market, more senior-level opportunities are opening up than ever before. So, if there are so many good jobs available, why is it so difficult to find these opportunities and get great offers? http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19405 AA2DEAA5-C733-4501-B416-077C57407356 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:03:08 -0500 As a professional résumé writer and strategist, I often critique executive level résumés. I continue to be amazed at some of the mistakes that regularly occur. Experienced leaders consistently jump into these pitfalls, which can often eliminate them from attaining that all-important interview. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19404 71A15A63-0C74-462C-A64B-ABE626B0A9C4 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:02:51 -0500 If it has been a while since your last job interview, you will find that there are some significant changes in the way leadership interviews are conducted these days, and what is being expected of the interviewee. To be effective, you must step into every meeting armed with your talent, knowledge, and the tools to present yourself as an exceptional leader and a valuable asset. If you apply the following strategies to your rich experience, you will surely "Ace the Executive Interview." http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19403 1F48B965-582C-4CE8-A4B0-67E0FDF5BB39 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:02:31 -0500 Healthcare executives, if you are in the market for a new job, you already know that the competition can be fierce. In our fast-paced business world, employers are looking for outstanding candidates to lead their organization towards success. In most cases, a number of senior-level professionals are competing for one prized job opening. To beat your competition, you must outshine them in your résumé and in person. To do this, you need to present the unique value that you bring to the table - this is your Value Proposition. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19402 786B6934-7866-4229-93A7-B4A73F71B361 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:02:02 -0500 To demonstrate the feasibility of a population-based measure of physician services utilization by type of service as a tool for physician workforce planning. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18866&cat=488 96666BAA-CAE5-4D16-BE12-C4E47F6E97AF Tue, 15 May 2007 15:22:32 -0400 This is the fourth in a series of reports to share key learnings from my 2005 sabbatical, when I took a three-month journey through Scandinavia, Western Europe, Ireland and the United Kingdom to observe innovation in nursing services delivery. The focus of this report is recruitment, retention and quality of work life. All the countries I visited were addressing these issues to deal with the global health human resources shortage we all face. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18362&cat=451 E871B068-1CD0-443B-B8DA-D29182F745F1 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:19:55 -0400 Recent Canadian history has been marked by an increasing anxiety about the state of our healthcare system. As our population ages and new demands and demographic pressures are placed on the healthcare system, the Canadian public has been understandably preoccupied with the long-term viability of the system: Will the care I need be accessible in the future? http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17056&cat=357 06D4F75D-B924-4EF6-815D-2887A08F6922 Tue, 15 Mar 2005 15:17:52 -0400 Seeking creative, achievable, proactive, sustainable and effective means to address the needs of the nursing workforce is the greatest challenge facing nursing leaders in administration today. Such opportunities do exist, and our over 300,000 nurses in Canada are key to identifying them. As nursing leaders in administration, we are in the best position to ensure that we encourage the identification of these opportunities and support their implementation. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16278&cat=273 2FD4E42B-998D-467A-99A2-AA6DC4732CF1 Thu, 15 May 2003 15:16:27 -0400 Ginette L. Rodger, RN, PhD, was recognized this Fall with an Award of Excellence in Nursing Leadership by the Ontario Hospital Association. She is the vice-president of professional practice and chief nursing executive at the Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Rehabilitation Centre, and past president of the Canadian Nurses Association. She completed a PhD in Nursing at the University of Alberta in 1995. Prior to 1989, she was concurrently the executive director of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), secretary treasurer of the Canadian Nurses Foundation and secretary treasurer of the Canadian Nurses Protective Society. She has had diversified experience in management, education, research and clinical nursing. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18595&cat=461 10BAD24A-F2CC-4966-AAB0-65A2EF9C8DC5 Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:15:35 -0400 The question posed to me for this column was: "From a leader's perspective, what will change in nursing research over the next five years?" The question carries with it a number of assumptions - that I in some way fulfill the requirement for leadership, that I know with some precision where nursing research is in 2003 and that I can foretell the (albeit short-term) future. Feeling on shaky ground on at least two of these assumptions, I turned to others - in and outside the nursing profession, well known and not - for direction. My colleagues foretold glory days, gnashed teeth, told me what should be, wrung hands and presaged a barren, post-apocalyptic landscape. A few ignored me. With little recourse, I resolved to create a new question, one I could answer. My complaints about the original question were numerous: it was the wrong question; it was not nearly a long enough period of time in which to see observable change; it wasn't an important enough question; and why wasn't I given the better question: What should change in five years? I did not arrive at a newer and better question, and so found myself alone again … the cursor blinking unremittingly. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16249&cat=274 31F22E14-3880-42E4-BE96-0FE54042EFA9 Sat, 15 Nov 2003 15:14:48 -0400 Understanding Canada's Health Care Costs (www.gov.on.ca/health/english/pub/ministry/ptcd/ptcd_mn.html), an interim report published by the provincial and territorial Ministers of Health in June 2000, is the latest salvo in the unfortunate battle between the federal and provincial governments over who is to blame for the deterioration (perceived and/or actual) of Canadian medicare. In places, it flirts with being a valuable analysis of cost drivers, but continuously falls back into being a brief for the provinces and territories rather than a dispassionate analysis of the likely impact of current trends. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16773&cat=315 77EC1E0F-3A78-490D-B18B-82106C9E2E74 Thu, 15 Jun 2000 15:12:50 -0400 The costs of medical services continue to rise despite a number of measures used to contain them. These costs, if not stemmed, will begin to compromise other priorities. Serious problems call for a bold step; and this bold step is to locate medical care facilities in low-cost overseas sites that are rich in high-quality health human resources and have stable and sound governments. Issues pertaining to quality, acceptability, and other factors are surmountable problems. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16883&cat=346 1CD72153-54A9-430C-95AA-47DC2FC298A8 Sat, 15 Nov 2003 15:11:57 -0400 Advanced practice nursing in Canada is receiving attention locally and nationally as gaps in our healthcare system persist, specifically as they relate to access to care and wait times. Nationally, nurse practitioners (NPs) and nursing leaders have developed documents that begin to define the foundation required for the successful introduction, evolution, evaluation and sustainability of the NP role (Bryant-Lukosius and DiCenso 2004). Much work has been done to promote the role of the nurse practitioner across Canada as provinces and territories learn from one another and overcome barriers to furthering this advanced practice nursing role (CNA 2006). http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18900 54518A7C-6817-4883-9662-C629E8FBD94D Tue, 15 May 2007 15:10:45 -0400 Helping health professionals work together better may seem like the holy grail of Canadian healthcare renewal; the solution is as elusive as the quest is lengthy. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18395&cat=450 8A77C4DC-E0E1-421C-A366-54FE0DED4ED9 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:09:54 -0400 In their paper, "The Public Health Enterprise: Examining Our Twenty-First-Century Policy Challenges," Tilson and Berkowitz outline six challenges for the United States public health enterprise: infrastructure, essential services, preparedness, accountability and measurement, workforce and the research agenda. Canada also has challenges in these areas. This paper briefly outlines examples of what is being done to respond to these challenges, the current state of public health in Canada and directions being taken in Canada for the future. There are striking similarities in the public health system challenges facing the United States and Canada, despite major differences in organization and financing of healthcare in the two countries. Planning, implementation and evaluation of public health approaches require different management skills and knowledge than for personal healthcare. Both countries must keep up their recent momentum to improve their official public health infrastructure, agreement on essential services, emergency preparedness, accountability and measurement, workforce and research agenda. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18754&cat=482 6832B614-EE51-4224-808B-E2BCD23E09FB Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:06:58 -0400 Mr. Romanow and Senator Kirby each devoted several years and intense effort to studying the Canadian healthcare system. They both came to the view that a national health council is a good idea. Their shared hope was that a health council could bring evidence and reason to bear on health problems that are often buried in the rhetorical avalanche of intergovernmental combat. One suspects that most Canadians also prefer light to heat in health matters. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16478 054C5F45-12E3-4F19-B34E-2CDC625EDC6B Sun, 15 Jun 2003 15:05:34 -0400 Once each year we publish the ACEN Annual Report in this column. This year is no exception, but first, an update on our recent annual education day and Annual General Meeting. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18596 ABB0E0E5-381C-4FAD-8869-6E64DF82CAEE Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:04:17 -0400 After a late start, Ontario is well on its way to implementing an ambitious Wait Time Strategy that has already begun to show some tangible improvements in access to the five priority areas. This commentary argues that in addition to the supporting tools identified in the lead essay, a sustainable wait time strategy must encompass prevention and demand management, address shortages in health human resources, provide patients with recourse to a safety valve and promote interprovincial standards and cooperation. Care will also be needed to ensure ongoing support and engagement of organized medicine, realigning incentives to support patient care and extending the reach of health information systems into the community. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18316&cat=448 EC0F11E1-6F7D-41DB-8288-D9E57E32BDD2 Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:03:10 -0400 Although the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 was the event that focused attention on Canada's capacity in public health, there have been, and will be, many other public health challenges, not just in the form of outbreaks but of a diverse set of threats to health, both infectious and non-infectious. Like many other countries, Canada must face the challenge of building and sustaining the capacity to respond to this broad range of challenges. Recently, there has been an emphasis on strengthening the public health infrastructure, including inter-jurisdictional agreements, research, knowledge translation, information systems and the workforce. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18755&cat=482 6A021297-335C-485B-AEC6-CE41BF42C44C Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:02:09 -0400 Mount Everest. It looms on the horizon of our minds, vast and mighty - a symbol of the greatest challenges on earth. Standing 8,850 metres above sea level, its near-vertical slopes and deep icy crevasses are forbidding and seemingly unconquerable. And yet, on May 29, 1953, its summit was reached. In that, there's hope for all the hard jobs we have to do. We can learn from Everest. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16636&cat=326 19C1CDC7-52EA-4CDD-8874-F6CB34AF0186 Sat, 15 Mar 2003 15:00:47 -0400 Just over a year ago a group of students, interns and residents in nursing, medicine and pharmacy launched the New Health Professionals Network (NHPN) to advocate for the strengthening of medicare and to highlight the need for interdisciplinary, team-based healthcare. Since that time, NHPN has been active in the public policy debate over the future of our healthcare system. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17833&cat=411 9C4595A0-2ECC-46CB-811F-59CF23485031 Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:59:53 -0400 This commentary provides an overview of the Quality Worklife-Quality Healthcare Collaborative action strategy. This strategy embraces the thinking set out by the lead papers in a recent Special Issue of Healthcare Papers (www.longwoods.com/special_issues.php) focused on developing healthy workplaces for healthcare workers, and brings to life evidence-informed management practices. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18910 A8CD1260-E42D-457E-8C15-3EFE14487B7C Tue, 15 May 2007 14:59:01 -0400 The two lead papers examine what makes the health workplace healthier, one from the perspective of workers and the other from the perspective of patients. Patients demand effective teamwork. Workers demand a range of initiatives, from occupational health and safety to professional development opportunities. Whereas patients' and workers' perspectives on healthy workplaces appear quite discrete as discussed in these papers, they are two sides of the same coin. Both lead papers recognize that unhealthy work environments result in unhealthy workers and reduced health outcomes for patients. Both review research documenting effective change and some progress in acceptance of proposed solutions at the policy level. Most importantly, both call for a greater effort in making these changes a reality in Canadian health workplaces. The papers themselves offer up some strategies for getting from yes to real. This commentary focuses on these and other strategies for moving forward and getting real change in the workplace, changes that workers and patients will talk about. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18672 6C359415-98D6-443C-A215-9880492AACB5 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:57:58 -0400 A closer relationship between Academic Health Sciences Centres and governments will benefit the overall agenda of health system reform, contribute to the focus and immediacy of the future vision of AHSCs and give governments a deep pool of expertise from which to draw in facing significant policy challenges. Jointly established priorities in health between federal, provincial and territorial governments correspond closely to the interests and expertise of AHSCs. A mutual commitment to evidence as the basis for making decisions in health policy, in education, and in patient care, will find expression in closer interaction between these two institutions. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17209&cat=338 B77C619F-4E59-4175-BDEE-157F26C7D5AB Fri, 15 Feb 2002 14:56:57 -0400 It is not only timely but urgent for nursing leaders to create a forum to address the enormous challenges that face the profession now, and will continue to do so over the next several years.Many in the profession have been addressing these challenges, typically within the confines of the organizations that employ them. There has been no focused forum where nurse leaders themselves have an intellectual space for dialogue and planning, for harnessing their collective experience and wisdom unfettered by organizational policy or politics. Collective leadership in times of crisis can offer an array of solutions that, if implemented cohesively, can make a significant difference. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17180&cat=361 FD942A04-914F-43B3-A97F-02F51EC5F7EC Sun, 15 May 2005 14:49:33 -0400 The aim of this descriptive study was to help policy- and decision-makers enhance the health of the Canadian nursing workforce by highlighting key factors of concern and exploring options for collecting and utilizing nurses' health data. This paper describes the views of 62 nursing stakeholders from a diverse spectrum of professional, labour, management and government perspectives from across Canada, regarding key factors contributing to work-related health problems in the nursing profession, particularly those relating to the work environment and hospital restructuring. The results were combined with a synthesis of existing information sources about the health of nurses in Canada. With respect to the key concerns, musculoskeletal conditions/injuries and stress and burnout were identified as nurses' major work-related health problems. An examination of the data synthesis inventory revealed that no existing data sources can adequately profile nurses' health, especially in relation to the components of the Conceptual Model of Nurses' Health developed in the study. Three strategies for monitoring nurses' health are proposed. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17035&cat=356 4E53DF8A-F6AF-465C-B709-F9376F082CDF Tue, 15 Mar 2005 16:40:29 -0400 The answer: "It depends." The question in the title is by no means easy to answer. There are too many variables - independent, interdependent and dependent - all of which will affect the final outcome. I think a much easier question for me to answer would be "What should change"; but I digress. My task is to reflect on what will change in nursing practice over the next five years. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16250&cat=274 E93F7C42-DD69-438A-89B5-5E96DF80F3CF Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:39:17 -0400 Many health human resource planners have warned that Canada, like much of the industrialized world, is facing a nursing shortage. In Canada, nearly one-third of registered nurses (RNs) in the workforce are aged 50 years or older, and will soon reach the typical retirement age of 65 years. Research also indicates that an increasing proportion of RNs are retiring early, many by age 56. This paper examines the impact of RN retirement and death on the future RN supply. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17240&cat=366 205AE4B1-7B3D-4B97-A2C3-A8F6E4008E95 Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:27:14 -0400 Currently, the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses (ACEN) is working with the Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations (ACAHO) to develop a joint position paper on patient safety cultures and leadership within Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs). Pressures to improve patient safety within our healthcare system are gaining momentum daily. Because AHSCs in Canada are the key organizations that are positioned regionally and nationally, where service delivery is the platform for the education of future healthcare providers, and where the development of new knowledge and innovation through research occurs, leadership for patient safety logically must emanate from them. As a primer, ACEN provides an overview of current patient safety initiatives in AHSCs to date. In addition, the following six key areas for action are identified to ensure that AHSCs continue to be leaders in delivering quality, safe healthcare in Canada. These include: (1) strategic orientation to safety culture and quality improvement, (2) open and transparent disclosure policies, (3) health human resources integral to ensuring patient safety practices, (4) effective linkages between AHSCs and academic institutions, (5) national patient safety accountability initiatives and (6) collaborative team practice. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16243 966BF923-B4C0-4620-B273-317C75BAFA9E Mon, 15 Mar 2004 16:21:46 -0400 There is merit in considering the lead papers within a context of the current social and political landscape, the status of our healthcare system and the role of public policy to drive change. In doing so, it becomes clear that the notion of workplace must extend beyond what has been traditionally confined to physician offices and healthcare facilities, and the traditional workforces within. Until the concept of health workforce include patients, unpaid care providers and new healthcare roles, and the concept of workplace includes communities and homes, we miss the identification of problems and the possible solutions to them. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18687&cat=467 95C54970-D2F0-4CFE-AA02-C7987E0F4219 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:16:03 -0400 Looking into a future marked by intense competition for talent, growing numbers of employers are striving to create "workplaces of choice." Yet, despite the consensus that health human resources are a vital piece of the healthcare reform puzzle, few health service organizations have developed comprehensive strategies to address work environment issues. The cumulative impact of years of cost-cutting, downsizing and restructuring have left Canada's healthcare workforce demoralized, overworked and coping with working conditions that diminish both the quality of working life and organizational performance. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16509 3BFB2BB0-D3B5-4B72-A6D8-67CA89FFC662 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:11:52 -0400 The World Health Report launched the Health Workforce Decade (2006-2015), with high priority given for countries to develop effective workforce strategies including healthy workplaces for health workers. Evidence shows that healthy workplaces improve recruitment and retention, workers' health and well-being, quality of care and patient safety, organizational performance and societal outcomes. Over the past few years, healthy workplace issues in Canada have been on the agenda of many governments and employers. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18668&cat=467 1CFF5A18-FE5C-4138-BA5D-76C91856FB2B Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:58:54 -0400 The aftermath of the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center has profoundly changed New York City and its people. Normally cynical and sarcastic, David Letterman came close to tears declaring that he would never again take firemen and police for granted. It is time now for the leaders of Canadian healthcare to make the same pledge to our nurses. We should never take nursing or nurses for granted - no good can come of such thoughtlessness, and indeed, much damage already has been done by that attitude throughout the 1990s. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16696 5F0DF10A-DF2B-4177-B5CA-85D74412C208 Sat, 15 Sep 2001 15:52:05 -0400 This commentary is a response to the paper "Healthy Workplaces for Health Workers in Canada: Knowledge Transfer and Uptake in Policy and Practice," in which Shamian and El-Jardali describe completed research and policy directions to improve work-life practices and create healthy workplaces in the environments where health workers are employed. Two issues that are raised in the discussion are focused on, the first one being health of the workforce and the second concerning workload measurement and work overload. Evidence from two recently completed studies is provided to demonstrate the importance of monitoring the health of caregivers and the need for development of new workload measurement systems. Such progress requires large-scale studies to help us understand the correlates of staff satisfaction, staffing outcomes and workplace demands. Most importantly, evaluation of policy intervention in Canada has been limited; therefore, once fiscal and human resources are directed to policy initiatives, these actions need to be formally evaluated. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18682&cat=467 1CCC9AE4-B6AA-49EA-8F88-58F14DF4BAEA Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:49:24 -0400 "Are there enough health professionals in Canada, and will they be there when I need them? " Answers to these two seemingly simple questions cover a variety of complex and interrelated factors that are not fully understood, as the report about Canada's Healthcare Providers (CIHI 2001) makes clear. The report appears at a time when Canadian political leaders, healthcare organizations, caregivers and others involved with the healthcare system are looking for creative solutions to the human resources challenges facing the health system . Many of the issues are not new; over the last 50 years they have been raised by various groups and government commissions. But there is a sense of urgency today as options for renewing and sustaining Canada's health system are actively being explored. This essay offers highlights from the report, providing a portrait of what is known (and not known) about the people who work in healthcare across the country. It makes clear that whether there are (or are not) enough healthcare providers is not simply a question of numbers of health professionals. From changes in health and healthcare to shifts in the worklife and practice patterns of professionals , a better understanding of the wide range of factors affecting healthcare providers is essential to further the important debates taking place. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17146&cat=341 45F3779C-8921-4179-9DFD-E97AF2C3EDBB Tue, 15 Oct 2002 15:47:14 -0400 Issues affecting health workplaces range from serious concerns that could affect the immediate physical safety of workers to those that would improve productivity and efficiency, or make an organization a preferred employer. Employers and workers might consider effective teamwork an asset, but for patients it is a prerequisite. This paper reviews the evidence for effective teamwork, primarily that gathered by a research team funded by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF). We also review the expert opinion provided by a group of 25 researchers and decision makers convened by CHSRF in late 2005 at a forum for discussion about issues related to effective teamwork. Included in the retreat were representatives from professional organizations and occupations as well as areas such as legal liability. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18669&cat=467 695C17D7-AFDC-47B2-A377-9326AE813FD5 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:53:13 -0400 The following is the text of a speech by Chris Power, Vice President, Clinical Services, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, in Halifax, Nova Scotia to the joint meeting of ACEN/CEO's at the annual meeting ACTH, May 2-3, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=19083 4990A208-1D5B-413E-BB3D-FCDACA6E4B99 Wed, 15 Sep 1999 14:49:17 -0400 The two lead papers examine what makes the health workplace healthier, one from the perspective of workers and the other from the perspective of patients. Patients demand effective teamwork. Workers demand a range of initiatives, from occupational health and safety to professional development opportunities. Whereas patients' and workers' perspectives on healthy workplaces appear quite discrete as discussed in these papers, they are two sides of the same coin. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18672&cat=467 35B78016-423D-48BA-83ED-30BCD000378C Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:47:36 -0400 There is a growing consensus that Canada's health system employers must do more to support and develop their staff within healthy and positive work environments. Human resources are the single largest budget line in any healthcare organization. But employees are not costs; rather, they must be viewed by managers, boards and governments as the core assets of the system. Leadership in health human resources means investing in people, supporting them to deliver excellent patient care and related services and developing their capabilities for the long-term. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16940 45523F11-552A-4843-8B9D-0F667ADB622F Sat, 15 Jan 2005 14:42:18 -0400 This commentary reviews the content of the lead papers through the lens of primary healthcare renewal (PHCR). Although PHCR has been on the national agenda for decades, only since the turn of the century has real progress been made with emerging new practice models based on inter-professional team care. While much is expected, relatively little is known of the function and effectiveness of such teams in Canada. As well, information regarding healthy workplaces has focused on individual professional groups rather than an inter-professional workforce. Much of the knowledge currently available regarding team effectiveness and healthy workplaces comes from the hospital sector and may not be completely transferable. The work of the Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice initiative and the results of the Health Transition Fund and Primary Health Care Transition Fund are additional key sources of research and knowledge transfer to guide the education, function and evaluation of inter-professional teamwork in these new primary healthcare practice models. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18685&cat=467 C980E235-9D78-4FF2-ABEB-88D6FABF7D11 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:37:34 -0400 There is no denying that determining the supply and demand of healthcare services is complex, as stated by Alvarez, Zelmer and Leeb in their essay. Many factors such as scope of practice, composition of healthcare teams and financing will be discussed as Canadians deliberate on the functioning of the healthcare system. As we strive to ensure an adequate supply of healthcare providers to meet future needs of Canadians, it is key that we reflect on past practices. Furthermore, it is necessary to undertake long-range projections, as each issue rests on the availability now and in the future of health professionals. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17152&cat=341 BB169E34-BFB0-4408-8409-BE382543DA52 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:35:42 -0400 "Planning for Canada's Health Workforce: Looking Back, Looking Forward" is a readable overview that presents a pastiche of data collected by a number of organizations. The paper deals with a policy area of immense importance to the future sustainability of Canada's health system and therefore warrants attention. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17151 5BB92850-61B9-473D-BDD6-34755A9DAC42 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:31:31 -0400 The generic response to "where to from here?" is reformation of much of our healthcare systems, but - to borrow a term used in hospital emergency departments - after triaging, five areas supersede. They are not fresh ideas - all are recommendations from at least several of the reports - but they must be considered a priori, bedrock for what is to come. The areas are health human resources; infrastructure; national centres for health; governance and accountability; and engaging the public. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17117 E2AD0C46-2F45-4BCC-83D6-95C404D43CD8 Sat, 15 Feb 2003 14:29:46 -0400 From November 3-5, 2005, the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses was involved in three meetings in Ottawa: ACEN's Education Conference on November 3 and its Annual General Meeting on November 5. On November 4, ACEN members were invited to join the Association of Canadian Healthcare Organizations (ACAHO) at its invitational conference. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18045 BEE2CDC6-A822-4DF8-AE38-2F7955B228D3 Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:28:12 -0400 This commentary provides an example of how the Ontario government has been able to engage within an evidence-informed process to develop inter-professional care that may ultimately positively impact the teamwork in healthcare agenda and the healthy workplace agenda in the future. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18686&cat=467 02585096-BC8E-4910-8D3B-BA53C5A0FB92 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:27:45 -0400 No issue will have as profound an effect on the future of healthcare services in Canada as how well, or poorly, we plan and manage our health human resources. If we fail as a nation to train the providers we need and to retain sufficient numbers of them within the health system, little else will matter.While long-term, sustainable financing is essential to quality healthcare services, it is not sufficient. If we are short of nurses and then add money to the health system, we get rapid growth in nursing pay rather than more nurses. Higher pay is not a solution to shortage. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17200&cat=341 F872141B-F389-4E69-AC90-B04C25591235 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:26:30 -0400 Each day Canadians make many decisions that affect how likely they are to need different types of healthcare in the future. These choices include whether to smoke, what to eat, and how much to exercise. Healthcare providers, organizations, governments and others also make far-reaching decisions that affect how likely different healthcare services are to be available in the future. Examples include how many training spots to fund, what types of healthcare facilities to build and where, and how to organize and deliver healthcare services. Health human resource planning takes place in this complex and dynamic context. At the outset, tracking the numbers of healthcare professionals can provide important insights for planning. Over 1.5 million people work in the Canadian health and social services sector in regulated and unregulated professions (CIHI 2001). http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16689&cat=321 CBCBC695-1159-4170-A5E4-07574A86C9DA Sat, 15 Dec 2001 14:23:50 -0400 PDF File http://www.longwoods.com/view.php?aid=18211&cat=105 0C2E9F41-EB9D-4C25-B37D-355DB7D4EB35 Sat, 15 Apr 2006 14:23:18 -0400 Planning for health human resources requires us to think about the forces and factors that attract healthcare professionals to their jobs and keep them there. However, the forces for attracting healthcare employees to a job are not the same as those factors that keep them there. Without effective recruitment and retention policies for healthcare professionals, planning initiatives will continue to be ineffective. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17150&cat=341 0A2E8047-43D4-41C9-B2F2-43A1CF64CF59 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:18:46 -0400 This response challenges the healthcare system to take full responsibility for the work environments created for health human resources. While the need for healthy work environments and teamwork in healthcare are inarguable, the fact is they are not a reality in today's health system. The authors suggest strategies to address this issue and identify the person or groups that should take responsibility, including governments, organizations, individuals and the public. Strategies include ensuring that policies do not contradict one another and holding each level responsible for the outcomes of a healthy work environment - retention and recruitment of health human resources, better patient/client outcomes and healthcare costs. The need for strong and appropriate leadership for health human resources with "content knowledge" is discussed, along with recommendations for measuring the performance and success of healthy work environments and teamwork. The authors conclude that collaboration at the micro, meso and macro levels is required to facilitate the true change that is needed to improve the work environments of health human resources. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18673&cat=467 290261FB-120F-4CF7-869F-F0E2856698D6 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:17:06 -0400 Because the Annual General Meeting of the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses (ACEN) was moved to November from September, this report covers a 14-month period. During this time, ACEN has taken on a new identity on the national front. We have implemented the decisions taken at the last annual meeting related to changes in membership categories and fees, establishing a national office and increasing the Academy's visibility. Membership has been expanded to include nursing executive leaders in healthcare delivery, academia, government and professional associations. The response to this change has been positive, and it is anticipated that membership will continue to increase over the next year. A national office has been established in Ottawa. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17830&cat=411 4CCDE405-8C5D-4561-9CEE-189A589DAA32 Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:13:08 -0400 If one looks at the past and present concerns about health human resources in the country, it seems that the health human resource question might be characterized as a chronic national, now international, disease. As a disease, it causes much stress and attendant fatigue, and when there are acute exacerbations it debilitates our healthcare system. Management of this malady will require a committed national effort directed in several areas. These areas include establishment of an enhanced national database of healthcare professionals, further research into the areas of recruitment, retention and renewal, and the development of a national overarching framework for managing this complex problem . Finally, there is a need to clarify the roles of both the provincial and federal governments in bringing long-term stability to the health human resources workforce in Canada. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17199&cat=341 86BB5D3B-BB6E-47A4-84C5-4E49EFA5ECF4 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:10:43 -0400 The paper by Shamian and El-Jardali provides a timely and important overview of research on healthy work environments and its translation into policy and practice. Although the research is abundant, progress is slow, with most of the efforts focused on nursing. The paper unfortunately does not give justice to key research and policy documents generated by the national nursing and physician sector studies. The elements of healthy work environments common to these two studies speak to the need to approach healthy work environments in a multi-professional manner. They also speak to the need for work environments to address career life cycles in order to foster effective recruitment and retention of health providers. While the authors are subtle in their suggestion of this, this commentary is more explicit in proposing such action. The need to create healthy work environments is urgent, as providers, patients and the system suffer with continued inertia. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18675&cat=467 64713515-319F-42DB-BC35-9E9D304F790E Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:07:52 -0400 At the April 2002 Annual General Meeting of the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses (ACEN), a new mission statement and objectives were approved. Amongst these objectives, ACEN has chosen to "influence and participate in setting the directions for health care policy and dialogue in Canada" and "to contribute to the alignment and advancement of the national nursing practice, education, research and leadership agendas." Our letter to the first ministers is one step towards achieving these objectives. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=16272&cat=272 5589EFBF-2829-4BE5-BE1E-D7D553CF5F36 Sat, 15 Mar 2003 14:06:07 -0400 In a service enterprise, the front line is the product. Health human resources issues, however, continue to be treated as simple input problems. More data, in and of itself, will not solve health human resources planning challenges. The definition of how many and what types of healthcare providers are needed first requires a model of delivery of professional services built around professional healthcare workers. If we do not get this right, soon the shortage of healthcare workers will get even worse as young people choose careers in fields other than health services. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17147&cat=341 915CC192-94DD-435F-9868-6C9847D9009C Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:05:36 -0400 In her paper, MacAdam refers to future challenges in health human resources for the home-care sector. This paper builds on her comments and discusses conceptual and practical approaches to future planning of health human resources. Necessary national data requirements are identified for this type of planning. The authors point out the limitations of traditional supply-side modelling and describe a new framework linking population health needs to outcomes that builds upon earlier conceptual work in needsbased, utilization-based and effective demand-based models. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17351&cat=335 52FC4332-5365-4CBE-A50C-C36F7AC6CABB Fri, 15 Sep 2000 14:00:58 -0400 Predicting the need for health human resources and ensuring an adequate supply continues to confound those with a stake in health services . The many interrelated factors that influence the demand and supply of health professionals seem to exceed our ability to develop strategies that ensure a healthy balance between the size of the health services workforce and the needs of Canadians.We continue to focus on specific health disciplines rather than considering alternatives and implementing policy options that recognize the interdependence of health professionals. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17198&cat=341 4FF2CA4D-FAAF-49AA-9981-3B05F334EA30 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 14:00:20 -0400 The nursing workforce is an integral part of the Canadian healthcare system and constitutes the largest group within the healthcare workforce in Canada. The Canadian nursing workforce includes three regulated occupational groups that work in a variety of roles and organizations across the continuum of care. These include licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs). http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=18046 F8E11CC1-FD50-42A9-85BC-3C22B6BE9D7E Wed, 15 Mar 2006 13:55:37 -0400 Any analysis of health human resources must take into account the critical shortages in the health technology professions, such as medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, respiratory therapy and other allied health professions. These professions are often overlooked or invisible to patients, but they provide a vital role in diagnostic and therapeutic services. If projected shortages are not addressed, there will be a major impact on patient care. Accurate human resources information about these professionals must be collected; funding for additional spaces in educational institutions is essential; and are consideration of scopes of practice to allow more effective utilization of health technologists' knowledge and skills should be initiated as soon as possible. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17197&cat=341 8D0E3048-5FCA-4157-AEFF-BB3A3DD02902 Tue, 15 Oct 2002 13:53:57 -0400 Healthcare renewal is under way again in every province and territory in this country. At the heart of these efforts is a stated desire to reorganize and expand the ways in which primary healthcare services are provided to Canadians. Common elements across all these efforts include a team approach to service delivery; the enrolment or rostering of patients, or both; 24-hour access to services, seven days a week; a variety of funding formulas; and increased emphasis on prevention and health promotion. http://www.longwoods.com/product.php?productid=17615 40DC38E8-5B60-465B-BF3E-B70390565C4E Thu, 15 Sep 2005 11:03:26 -0400