Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1485806
36 NURSING SPOTLIGHT Johns Hopkins nursing school launches policy engagement program By Mariah Taylor B altimore-based Johns Hopkins School of Nursing created a Policy Honors Program for students to gain skills in policy analysis and advocacy. The two-semester program pairs students with a faculty expert to broaden their understanding of nursing's role in policy, according to an Oct. 12 news release from Johns Hopkins. Students will learn how to connect with policymakers, communicate policy proposals and advocate for policies to improve health. Students also will attend seminars, mentoring sessions and complete a policy-related project and presentation. "The possibilities for nurses in health policy are immense," school Dean Sarah Szanton, PhD, said in the release. "Because there are 4 million nurses, and they are the most trusted profession, nurse involvement in policy is an extremely effective way of changing the whole country."n Palomar Health launches nurse advice line for all local residents By Erica Carbajal E scondido, Calif.-based Palomar Health has debuted an advice line that connects registered nurses with community members in need of guidance and treatment options. The system's nurse advice line is available to all members in the San Diego area — regardless of whether they have been a patient at the health system before — and is available 24/7, according to an Oct. 3 news release sent to Becker's. "A registered nurse will assess the caller's symptoms, offer care advice and recommend the most appropriate next steps dependent on the individual's case. This may include directing the caller on how to treat themselves, sending them to the appropriate clinic, urgent care or hospital or offering reassurance," the health system said. Palomar Health includes two medical centers and has more than 900 affiliated medical providers. n Novant Health to hire 300 international nurses By Nathan Tucker W inston Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health plans to hire 300 international nurses to help offset the nursing shortage, according to an Oct. 7 report from NBC affiliate WCNC. Candidates are sourced through Novant Health's international nurse fellowship program. e health system is competing for skilled nurses in a hot job market, with hospital systems across the country vying for the same employees. e international nurse fellowship has resulted in the hiring of more than 100 international nurses to date, according to the report. e manager of nurse residencies for Novant Health, Tracey Whitley, MSN, RN, said that national projections estimated that North Carolina would have a significant shortage of nurses. "With so many nurses going into travel nursing, which was very lucrative at the time, nurses are re-evaluating if it's time to retire, which is one of the reasons we were going to go into the shortage to begin with. Our workforce has been aging and being a bedside nurse is very challenging and hard on your body," Ms. Whitley said. According to researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the state faces an estimated shortage of nearly 12,500 registered nurses and slightly more than 5,000 licensed practical nurses by 2033. International nurses must meet the same requirements as nurses trained in the U.S., but it gives the hospital system a new group of people to recruit from and helps fill gaps caused by the nursing shortage, according to WCNC. Data from the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment indicates about 15 percent of the nurses in the U.S. are educated in another country. n