American Nurses Credentialing Center Announces Special Grant Funding Program to Address Nursing Workforce Challenges and Improve Health Outcomes
Safety net hospitals across New York State are invited to apply for up to $5 million to pursue national nursing accreditation programs and virtual nursing and nurse residency programs to support their workforce and workplace culture
MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@ana.org
SILVER SPRING, MD – Today the American Nurses Credentialing Center is excited to announce that the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, New York’s largest grantmaking organization focused on improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, is premiering its new Nursing Initiative. It’s a grant program created to support safety net hospitals across the state that provide a significant amount of care to high-need populations. The selected hospitals can receive up to $5 million respectively to pursue the Magnet Recognition Program® or the Pathway to Excellence® program from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, as well as implement or expand virtual nursing and nurse residency programs.
The Nursing Initiative will support hospitals’ abilities to prevent nurse burnout, improve work culture and benefit patient care. The first-of-its-kind investment stems from the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to bolster the healthcare workforce across New York State.
“Patients and the overall health of our community can’t thrive without a strong healthcare workforce, and it is important that we start implementing concepts and solutions that can evolve overtime to meet the unique needs of New York’s health systems,” said Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. “There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to solve the workforce issue, but philanthropic commitments like our Nursing Initiative are vital, as they recognize the direct connection between a healthy workforce and improving health outcomes that will reduce health disparities throughout New York State.”
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation developed the Nursing Initiative following the launch of its healthcare workforce report with the University of Albany Center for Health Workforce Studies. According to data referenced in the report, 15% of hospital patient care RNs between the ages of 20 and 39 reported plans to leave their current position within the next 12 months, underscoring the urgency of mitigating further declines. The study found that despite sizable investments committed to address healthcare workforce shortages, New York is still struggling to bolster its registered nursing workforce statewide.
“On behalf of the American Nurses Credentialing Center, we are very grateful for this new grant program sponsored by Mother Cabrini Health Foundation,” said ANCC Senior Vice President, Accreditation & Organization Credentialing, Rebecca Graystone, PhD, MBA, RN, NE-BC. “Both Magnet Recognition® and Pathway to Excellence® designations are premiere credentialing programs that recognize health systems that demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, safety, and investment in the nursing workforce, dramatically improving patient outcomes. The Magnet designation and the Pathway to Excellence designation mean the very best in care delivery by nurses who are supported to practice at their very best. There are a limited number of hospitals and health systems that have these designations across the world and through the generous support of this grant, I am truly excited to see even more health care systems, particularly safety net organizations, have the opportunity to achieve this prestigious recognition.”
The new Nursing Initiative is designed to be adaptable, offering three areas of focused investment that will benefit patient care. Few hospitals that serve a high percentage of Medicaid-eligible patient populations have Magnet Status or Pathway to Excellence recognition. Awarded hospitals will be required to pursue one of the frameworks that address excellence in nursing and workplace environments. In addition, funding can support optional paths toward virtual nursing and nurse residency programs.
The Foundation encourages proposals from hospitals that are not currently designated Magnet or Pathway to Excellence are at any stage in the journey toward accreditation– from initial interest and exploration to those that have already begun pursuit of accreditation. A request for proposals is open to hospitals until December 4, 2024, and applications can be found here. Grant recipients will be announced in 2025. To learn more about the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet and Pathway to Excellence programs, please visit https://www.nursingworld.org/organizational-programs/
###
About American Nurses Credentialing Center
The American Nurses Credentialing Center works with the largest group of healthcare professionals and their organizations to advance the highest standards of nursing excellence. Nursing is an art and a science that requires opportunities for growth, development, research, and innovation. We believe that having an impact on the level of care provided requires setting rigorous standards and conducting research that not only ensures the well-being of nurses, but also drives safer patient outcomes worldwide.
About the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that provide either direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/