Industry News

The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future Celebrates 10 Years of Making a Difference

In 2002, Johnson & Johnson launched the Campaign for Nursing’s Future to address the most profound nursing shortage in our nation’s history, by enhancing the image of the nursing profession, recruiting new nurses and nurse faculty, and helping to retain nurses currently in the profession. Since then, the Campaign has worked with professional nursing organizations, schools, hospitals and other healthcare groups to promote opportunities in nursing and increase awareness of the value of the nursing profession to our society and America’s healthcare community.

“Thanks in large measure to the Campaign, nursing has moved to the forefront of public consciousness over the past decade. The Campaign was way ahead in understanding that the national shortage of nurses was in many ways a lack of understanding and appreciation of the enormous contributions that nurses provide to people around the world,” said Marla Salmon, ScD, RN, FAAN, Senior Visiting Fellow at the Evans School of Public Affairs, and Professor of Nursing and Public Health at the University of Washington in Seattle.

According to Salmon, the invisibility of nurses and the lack of attractiveness of nursing as a career were issues that required a highly strategic approach that would raise awareness, act as a resource for nursing information, reward and recognize nurses, help develop the next generation of nurses, and inspire partnerships and collaborations for the future. In the past 10 years, the aggressive efforts of the Campaign have addressed those needs, helping to educate the public on the importance of nursing, and providing educational and financial resources for nurses, nurse faculty and nursing students alike.

Image

In an effort to enhance the image and raise the visibility of nursing, the Campaign produced and regularly airs national TV commercials designed to showcase the skill and compassion of real nurses in their everyday jobs. Most recently, the Campaign launched a new series of commercials that focuses on nurses in the individual specialties of Pediatric Nursing, Emergency Room Nursing and Hospice Nursing. The Campaign’s TV advertisements have reiterated to the public the integral role that nurses play in patient care, thereby motivating more people to consider nursing as a career option.

“The Campaign’s concentrated public messages about the importance of nursing to the well being of virtually everyone have touched the lives and hearts of the public over and over again, and continue to encourage people to join this wonderful profession,” said Salmon. “Reaching individuals across the country in this way has been critical in beginning to address our country’s most challenging nursing shortage.”

In fact, a study published in the December 2011 journal of Health Affairs found that the number of young people entering the nursing profession is surging, providing relief from the recent nursing shortage. This study was conducted by Drs. David Auerbach, Peter Buerhaus and Douglas Staiger, who found that aggressive efforts to make nursing a more attractive career choice have contributed to a 62 percent increase in the number of young nurses (ages 23-26) entering the field between 2002 and 2009.

“Today, younger adults are entering the nursing profession at the same rate as we saw from the baby boomer generation, which is incredible, especially considering the variety of career opportunities that exist today. I believe this growth of young people entering the field is directly attributed to the Campaign’s efforts,” said Peter Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, Valere Potter Professor of Nursing and Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies at the Institute for Medicine and Public Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

According to Buerhaus, the Campaign has helped contribute to the rise in social prominence of nursing in the last 10 years, creating greater public awareness about the roles of nurses and their importance in the healthcare system. “Promoting the image of nursing has not only improved the public’s views of the profession, but has also given nurses the faith and confidence to step up and take a larger role in improving the quality and safety of patient care,” he added.

Recruitment

Another major goal of the Campaign is recruitment of nurses and nurse faculty, and in the last 10 years, the Campaign has distributed more than 32 million pieces of recruitment materials in English and Spanish, including brochures, posters and videos, to many junior high schools, career centers and community health centers, as well as to every high school, nursing school, hospital and nursing organization in the country – attracting more than 750,000 men and women to join the profession, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

The Campaign has also seen success in the recruitment of nurses through the many scholarship programs and grants given out each year to nursing students to help support their nursing education. In partnership with the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA), the Campaign has raised funds for regional nursing communities, in cities and regions where the nursing shortage is most acute, through Promise of Nursing galas. The Promise of Nursing events have raised more than $19 million since 2002 for undergraduate nursing scholarships, faculty fellowships and nursing school grants.

“Johnson & Johnson has done so much to put the profession of nursing on the public’s radar, especially for young people and second career seekers,” said Diane Mancino, EdD, RN, CAE, FAAN and Executive Director of the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA). “We are proud to have been a partner with the Campaign throughout the years and know that they will continue to have an impact on the nursing community for many years to come.”

The Campaign features a comprehensive website – www.discovernursing.com – for individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing. Discovernursing.com contains searchable links to hundreds of nursing scholarships and more than 1,700 accredited nursing educational programs, funding resources, and information on more than 100 specialties and career paths for those with nursing degrees. Profiles of real nurses can also be found on the site, creating an opportunity for those interested in nursing to get a glimpse into the everyday lives of nurses in various specialties.

In addition to its website, the Campaign offers an opportunity for nurses and nursing students to engage in conversation surrounding relevant topics in nursing and Campaign initiatives on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page and on Twitter @JNJNursingNotes.

Retention

Retention of nurses currently in the profession is another key priority of the Campaign, and as part of that, the Campaign offers a variety of communication channels, awards programs and complimentary materials for nurses in various specialties, including free brochures, posters, podcasts, videos and software.

Additionally, the Campaign has developed several nurse retention tools and resources, including the “Virtual Nurse Manager” CD-ROM, created with the help of a team of real nurse managers and executives to provide leadership training for newly-promoted nurse managers; “Your Future in Nursing,” an innovative and informative software program which offers an avatar-led simulated environment for student nurses; and Happy Nurse™ Game, a mobile app developed to help nurses decompress and unwind. In 2011, the Campaign also launched the Amazing Nurses contest, a national contest designed to celebrate and recognize the inspirational care that nurses provide to their patients on a daily basis.

“As a nurse and administrator, I’ve seen firsthand new nurses coming into their careers and professions, and it’s evident that the Campaign has helped support new nurses, as well as inspire nurses who are already in the profession, with great programs, commercials and collateral materials,” said Barbara Tofani, MSN, RN, and Administrative Director at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center in Flemington, N.J.

Additionally, in response to a critical shortage of faculty across nursing schools, the Campaign has expanded its emphasis on nurse faculty retention. In September 2007, the Campaign and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) launched the Minority Nurse Faculty Scholarship to alleviate the growing shortage of nurse educators and promote diversity through financial and professional support to full-time minority students enrolled in graduate programs who plan to work as nursing faculty upon graduation.

“There’s a true genuineness to the Campaign – a real sense of caring – caring for the nursing profession and caring for the patients that we treat. I think that’s why it has lasted for 10 years and will continue to grow stronger each year,” said Tofani.

To learn more about the Campaign for Nursing’s Future, visit www.discovernursing.com.

Get to Know

Gail Stuart, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Dean of the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing in Charleston, S.C.

Q. When did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and why?

A. I made the decision to go into nursing at the end of high school after working at a hospital as a candy striper. I truly enjoyed helping people, so nursing was a logical choice for me, especially with the broad array of career opportunities that nursing has to offer. I also liked the idea of educating others to become nurses. Working in the field of nursing opens so many doors and offers a wide variety of opportunities that you can’t get in many other careers.

Q. What has been one of the greatest moments of your career?

A. I’ve had a long career as a nurse, so my greatest moment is divided between two experiences. The first is when I worked as a psychiatric nurse at a community mental health center. I was responsible for working with teachers to identify children who were having problems that could potentially be linked to developmental challenges. I specifically remember a girl who was acting out in class, and I was able to meet with her and her parents to figure out the problem and offer a solution. It’s great to see the impact you can have on the course of someone’s life like that. We helped to modify her behavior, which in turn, helped her parents and teachers. Being in a position like that, you have the opportunity to mold how people interact with one another. To me, that’s what represents the essence of psychiatric nursing.

The other greatest experience for me occurs every time a class of our students graduates. The look on all of their faces is unforgettable! You can see the future of nursing reflected in the light of their eyes. I feel proud of them for what they’ve accomplished and proud of myself and my fellow educators for what we’ve contributed to the field of nursing and to the future of healthcare.

Q. What was your involvement with the Promise of Nursing for South Carolina?

A. After reading about the success of Johnson & Johnson’s Promise of Nursing galas in other states, we reached out to J&J to encourage them to host one in South Carolina. They had never hosted an event like that in our state, and we knew it would be a great benefit to our under-resourced nursing community. The Promise of Nursing galas are great events because they help raise the visibility of nursing and the contribution of nurses to individuals who may not have thought, in a focused way, about nursing beyond the walls of hospitals. The other equally important part of the program is that it instills a sense of pride in nurses and future nurses. Nurses are typically so focused on their day-to-day work that they don’t have much of a chance to celebrate themselves. The Promise of Nursing gala was an excellent way to give them that opportunity.

After the event in South Carolina, we received so many emails from nurses and nursing students who were so grateful and honored to have been included. As much as the nurses enjoyed the event, it was the students who were really blown away. They had never experienced anything like that. The entire event left everyone with a tremendous feeling of pride for their profession and gratitude for the praise they were receiving. It was like the Academy Awards for nursing but better in that everyone felt like they won that night.

Q. Have you seen a difference made by the Promise of Nursing gala in your nursing community?

A. The Promise of Nursing gala definitely enhanced the sense of nursing in South Carolina. The funds raised by the event were palpable – scholarships are so critical for those in this state attempting to become nurses. With a nursing shortage on the rise, it’s an excellent career to get involved in, and these events not only help give scholarships to students and funds to nurses in need, but they help the public become aware, now more than ever, about the contribution that nurses directly have on their health as well as the healthcare industry.

For more information about the Promise of Nursing events and to view photos from previous galas, visit www.discovernursing.com.

Get to Know

Michael “Misho” Stawnychy, BSN, RN, full-time graduate student in the Adult and Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Pennsylvania

Q. What inspired you to become a nurse?

A. Years ago, I worked in documentary filmmaking and wanted to find a way to become more involved in helping people through difficult times. I started searching for something that would be more fulfilling and allow me to wear multiple hats, and that’s when I found nursing.

Q. What part of your current position do you enjoy the most?

A. I’m currently a full-time master’s student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and work part-time on two research projects. Once while working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I was able to assist and intervene in tenuous circumstances, but found that some of the patients could have avoided an ICU stay all together if we had better primary care. This drove me to continue my education as an Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, which enables me to work with heart failure patients through motivational interviewing. I feel success and fulfillment when I can help someone care for themselves in a better way and possibly avoid a hospital readmission.

Perhaps above all, I feel privileged to be involved and to help patients and their loved ones through some of the most challenging times in their lives.

Q. How has the Promise of Nursing scholarship impacted your overall nursing career?

A.With the help of the Promise of Nursing scholarship I was able to continue my studies full-time and stay on-track to graduate with my cohort. It also allowed me to explore areas outside of the nursing core curriculum, such as health policy and research.

Q. What advice would you give to other students, or potential nursing students, regarding scholarships or the nursing profession in general?

A. Don’t miss any opportunities. Check with your school and search online for scholarships so you’re well informed, and be cautious of deadline dates – they can’t be missed! Take advantage of shadowing nurses and nurse practitioners while in school and keep your resume updated. This will not only make you a better applicant but also help focus your nursing career.

Additionally, this advice was very helpful and practical when I first started floor nursing:

1. It can be overwhelming when you start your first job. You can’t possibly know all the answers, but you can always learn. Make it your goal to review or learn one thing a day. Just like you did in school, keep learning and soon you will know much more than you ever thought possible.
2. Always think of three things that you can bring into a patient’s room with you. This will give you more time with the patient, cut down on wasteful trips to the supply or medical room, and help keep you prepared.

Q. So far, what has been one of the greatest moments of your career?

A. Once during a motivational interviewing study, I had a heart failure patient who had a very poor prognosis and was being readmitted frequently due to volume overload. Together, we were able to think through her long-term goals and apply them to her current situation. Her outlook changed and she began to take control of her heart failure. At discharge she had lost over 75 pounds, felt motivated to care for herself, and for the first time, felt like she had control over her disease.

Misho Stawnychy was recently interviewed for a Johnson & Johnson ennTV video commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Campaign. To view the video, visit www.youtube.com/JNJennTV.

Portrait of Thanks Mosaic

Mosaic Honors Nurses and Marks 10th Anniversary of the Campaign

To help celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future, we are excited to announce the reveal of the Portrait of Thanks Mosaic! This Mosaic was designed to support and promote the nursing profession, as well as to thank nurses for their hard work and dedication.

Thanks to your submissions, the Mosaic includes nearly 10,000 individual photos that form a single image that captures the essence of nursing. Once on the site, you can search through individual photos by keyword – name, hometown and specialty – and share the entire Mosaic image or individual photos via Facebook and Twitter.

The Mosaic features:

• Photos from every state in the U.S.
  • California nurses and nursing students make up more than 15 percent of the mosaic with more than 1,800 photos
  • Illinois has the second highest participants
  • Texas has the third most
• Nurses who work in more than 30 nursing specialties and more than 1,000 nursing students

Additionally, the Campaign is pleased to announce a $12,500 donation to the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA). For every photo that was submitted to the project, the Campaign matched $1 to help fund nursing scholarships. Tell us your thoughts about the Mosaic by visiting the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook Page or by following @JNJNursingNotes on Twitter.

Amazing Nurses

2012 Amazing Nurses Contest Winner Announced December 2

Mark your calendars, and tune into CNN on Sunday, December 2 during the CNN Heroes: All-Star Tribute Show in Los Angeles as well as our Facebook page to hear the exciting announcement of our Amazing Nurses Grand Prize Winner!

This national contest, designed to celebrate and reward the important role that nurses play in our communities, has become a truly inspirational cornerstone of the Campaign. After reviewing hundreds of submissions, a judging panel worked hard to narrow the list down to 10 finalists who embody what it means to be an Amazing Nurse, and the public determined the winner.

Here are the 10 finalists:

• Allison Batson, RN, Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, Ga.
• Ann Coyle, RN, Virtua Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Voorhees, N.J.
• Marlan Dawson, RN, St. Luke's Rehabilitation Center, Spokane, Wash.
• Nancy Gilman, RN, Roper Saint Francis Hospital, Charleston, S.C.
• Edwin "Ed" Koen, RN, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn.
• Marjorie Lozama, RN, Coventry Health Care, Miramar, Fla.
• Nancy Martinez, RN, Summit Health, Jacksonville, N.C.
• Mary Kay Silverman, RN, Hahnemann University Hospital, Royersford, Pa.
• Deena Sughroue, APRN, Kearney Clinic & Kearney Student Health, University of Nebraska, Kearney, Neb.
• Debbie Weppler-Sears, RN, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Fla.

To read the finalists’ full profiles, check out the Amazing Nurses contest tab on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook Page.

Campaign Update

Introducing the New Nursing Notes

As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, we are excited to launch the new design of our award-winning e-newsletter, Nursing Notes! Over the years we have listened to your feedback and suggestions, and we want to make sure that the newsletter continues to be something our audience enjoys. We also want to continue to grow with ongoing trends, which is why we’ve made the newsletter more interactive and mobile-friendly.

Let us know what you think of the new layout or any thoughts in general about the newsletter by sending an email to nursingnotes@gcihealth.com or posting on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook Page.

Calling Nursing Notes Readers – Submit Your Inspirational Stories!

The holidays are all about sharing and giving, and this December we want to feature stories of nurses who are constantly giving back to others! Have you or a colleague gone above and beyond for a patient? Have you seen patients helping one another? We want to know!

A couple of tips to keep in mind as you're sending us your stories:

• Speak from the heart and be yourself!
• Try to limit the story to 250 words (we may edit for brevity)
• Please don't mention any patient names (be mindful of HIPAA)

If you have an inspirational story to share, please send your story and contact information to nursingnotes@gcihealth.com. We will pick the most inspirational experiences to include in the December issue of Nursing Notes and on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook Page!

Tweets of the Month

Highlights from The Campaign's Twitter Conversation

What are our followers saying on Twitter this month? Here are a few highlights, but don’t forget to follow @JNJNursingNotes to stay up to speed on the latest Campaign related news and updates as they happen!

• @MissFNP: @JNJNursingNotes I have to say thank you for all of the amazing free resources & materials. They will greatly help! Thank you again!
  
  
• @JNJNursingNotes: Who are your #nursingrolemodels and why?
  @WarriorNurses: @jnjnursingnotes Dr. Jean Watson. Caring is the Science of Nursing! #Nursingrolemodels
  
  
• @MJHS01: See awesome MJHS nurses in @JNJNursingNotes #PortraitofThanks Mosaic, created to celebrate the nursing profession! http://bit.ly/Pm3SJq
  
  
• @EBgames3: I'm so honored to be apart of the @JNJNursingNotes #PortraitofThanks Mosaic created to celebrate the nursing profession! http://bit.ly/Pm3SJq
  
  
• @niceworknj: @JNJComm @JNJVideo @JNJNursingnotes -Thx in advance for sharing "Campaign for Nursing" case study in our new program! http://www.cmd.rutgers.edu/nonprofit