Moving from Talk to Action: 

Building Community Plans
for a Strong Nursing Workforce

Event Overview

New Mexico faces both a short- and long-term shortage of nurses. As the baby boomer generation retires and requires more medical care, the demand for nurses will increase. In addition, the average age of nurses currently in the workforce is maturing, and many will retire in the next 10 years.

The impact of this shortage is unique to each community and can result in curtailed services, refused referrals and admissions, decreased public health services, and higher employer replacement costs due to turnover.

Studies have been conducted and recommendations have been proposed. Now it is time to take action.

For these reasons, the New Mexico Board of Nursing and the New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence, are hosting a one-day forum in regions around the state to create a structure and process that supports community-driven plans for addressing the nursing shortage and implementing the recommendations proposed by the New Mexico Health Policy Commission as a result of New Mexico Senate and House memorials.

Where and When?

Albuquerque /Registration is closed. All slots are full.
Monday, June 30, 2008
CNM Workforce Training Center

Roswell/Complete
Friday, July 11, 2008
ENMU-R, Occupational Technology Center

Clovis/Complete
Friday, July 18, 2008
Clovis Civic Center

Las Cruces/Complete
Friday, August 1, 2008
Mesilla Valley Inn
901 Avenida de Mesilla

Gallup
Friday, August 15, 2008
UNM-Gallup
200 College Road

Espanola
Friday, September 5, 2008
Espanola Hospital

Who Should Attend?

  • Staff nurses
  • Nursing administrators and managers
  • Nursing employers
  • Nursing educators
  • College/university administrators
  • Community health council members
  • Community leaders and members
  • State and local policymakers

Seating is limited to 50 participants at each regional community forum. Early registration is recommended.

What Happens at the Forum?

There will be a keynote speaker who will set the context for the issues, and then most of the day will be devoted to small group discussions among participants who care about taking action and want to be involved in creating a plan for their community. The primary goal is to design both a structure and a process for moving forward the recommendations that have already been proposed through several state memorials, town halls, and forums. Participants will suggest who, what, and how the recommendations should be moved into action at both the state and local community levels.

Prior to the forum, participants will receive a background report. The report will provide valuable information on the nursing shortage issues, highlight the recommendations that have been proposed to date, and outline the goal of the regional forums. It will serve as a basis for the discussions held during the forum.

New Mexico First has been chosen to facilitate the forum. Using their proven consensus-building process, the one-day forum will ask participants to sort the recommendations according to the needs of the state and their communities and share their best ideas for creating a state and local structure for implementing the recommendations.

Interested?

There is no fee for attending the forum in your region, but pre-registration is required. Registration information is available here.