Workforce

Our healthcare system needs an abundant supply of well-trained caregivers – physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals – to deliver accessible, high quality, affordable care.

Health & Wellness Programs for Hospital Employees:  Results from a 2015 AHA Survey

In line with provisions and incentives of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), hospitals and health systems are working with communities to address a range of health and health care delivery issues and to improve population health. To help create a culture of health, hospitals and health systems can provide leadership, and hospital employees can be role models, for health and wellness in their communities. Developing health and wellness strategies and programs at hospitals will help establish an environment that provides the support, resources and incentives for hospital employees to serve as such role models.


Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund Funding RFP to be Released End of September

The Fiscal Year 2016 budget included a line item for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund.  Working with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Commonwealth Corporation plans to issue a request for proposals in late September.  In order to allow prospective applicants additional time to prepare for this round of funding we are issuing the following summary.


CHANGING THE CONVERSATION:  Accelerating Workforce Transformation in Healthcare

Hospitals and health systems need to accelerate workforce transformation so that they can be successful in making the wide-scale changes needed to redesign healthcare. To gain greater understanding of the realities of workforce needs and challenges over the next 3-5 years, the Massachusetts  Health & Hospital Association (MHA), funded by a Workforce Transformation Planning Grant, interviewed a diverse sample of leaders at Massachusetts healthcare organizations and conducted a broad survey of its membership. A complex picture of emerging knowledge, science, and roles emerged, converging on the changing healthcare delivery system. Most of the 459,000 healthcare workers in Massachusetts 1 have been prepared for a model of care that has been hospital-centric. Yet, shifting sites of care, accountability for care management, a more patient-centered focus, and new skills in team care are driving the need for change.


How MHA, ONL and Their Partners Are Promoting a Strong Healthcare Workforce

MHA and ONL, in cooperation with many partners and collaborators, are leading the way to address the future nursing shortage in the Bay State.


Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA) Quarterly News Digest E-Newsletter

The e-newsletter examines important nursing issues through the consumer lens and features recent work and useful Web content.  The CCNA, a consumer-driven, national force for change, works to increase the nation's capacity to educate and retain nurses who are prepared and empowered to positively influence healthcare access, quality, and costs.


Facts about the Nursing Workforce

A new fact sheet from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation offers a wealth of hard data on the nursing workforce-how many nurses are at work today, what their educational backgrounds are, how diverse the nursing population is, what the employment trends are, how big the nursing gap will be in a few years, and more.


Our Workforce Needs

Our healthcare system needs an abundant supply of well-trained caregivers - physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals - to deliver accessible, high quality, affordable care. But forecasting our healthcare workforce needs and designing policies and programs to match those needs is challenging.


It Takes a Team: Who's Who on your Healthcare Provider Team

First and foremost, each patient has a nurse assigned to him or her at all times - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This "primary nurse" works closely with your doctor to oversee and coordinate your care. Even when your nurse is on break, there is a nurse assigned to be responsible for your safe care. The nurse develops a plan for each of his or her patients and leads a team that helps with your care.

  • AHA: “Expanding the Reach” Workforce Strategies Guide

    New section focuses on hiring veterans, professional governance models, and academic-practice partnerships.

    »Full Article
  • ANA & AONL: Models of Care Insight Study

    The study is intended to "probe and validate the current demand for change, the support of various roles and programs, and the gap between leadership and the frontline."

    »Full Article
  • MHA Publishes Compendium of Care Innovations & Strategies

    These approaches work in tandem with broader workforce development efforts, and allow healthcare professionals to provide safe, high-quality, and empowered care.

    »Full Article
  • AONL: Nursing Leadership Workforce Compendium

    In alignment with AONL's strategic initiatives, the AONL Workforce Committee and subcommittees identified best practices and innovations to help strategize and manage the complexities of the nursing workforce.

    »Full Article
  • AONL’s Releases Third Section of its Workforce Compendium

    This section focuses on academic-practice partnerships, culture of inquiry, and total rewards.

    »Full Article
  • MHA Launches New Workforce Toolkit

    Building on the success of our Workforce Summit, MHA developed an interactive toolkit to share just a few of the best and emerging practices to address current workforce challenges.

    »Full Article
  • AHA Releases “Building the Team” Workforce Strategies Guide

    The AHA in September 2022 released the third and final section of its workforce strategies guide designed to help hospital and health system leaders navigate workforce challenges and opportunities. Today’s section focuses on recruitment and retention, diversity and inclusion, and creative staffing models. The guide, which was informed by the AHA Board of Trustees’ Task Force on W...» Full Article
  • The Joint Commission, Developing Resilience to Combat Nurse Burnout

    As the frontline caregivers in health care today, nurses accomplish a myriad of tasks and responsibilities, but often at high personal cost. The need to juggle competing priorities in often high-stress situations can result in feeling overwhelmed or burnout. Read more... ...» Full Article
  • MHA Releases Comprehensive Report on the Massachusetts Healthcare Workforce

    There are an estimated 19,000 full-time job vacancies across Massachusetts hospitals, which has led to the closure of hospital beds and services, steep financial losses for facilities, and access challenges for patients.

    »Full Article
  • ONL’s Nursing Summit 2019 Follow-up Survey Report

    In January 2019, ONL, together with nine other professional nursing organizations led a first-of-its-kind Nursing Summit in central Massachusetts that brought together 380 Registered Nurses to hear their concerns and feedback and enhance trust among nurses. With a robust amount of data from the Nursing Summit, ONL sought to gain further understanding and insight from Nursing Summit participants ...» Full Article
  • End Nurse Abuse Resource Guide

    Download, read and share ANA’s  #EndNurseAbuse Resource Guide and commit to reporting all abuses that you encounter. ...» Full Article
  • ANA – Issue Brief – Reporting Incidents of Workplace Violence

    Reporting Incidents of Workplace Violence Effective Date: 2019 Overview The rate of violence against health care workers has reached epidemic proportions. According to a 2012 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), health care workers in inpatient facilities experienced workplace violence-related injuries requiring days off from work at a rate at least five to 12 times high...» Full Article
  • Protect Yourselves, Protect Your Patients

    The American Nurses Association (ANA) convened a professional issues panel to develop policy and identify strategies to address barriers to nurses and other health care workers reporting violence and abuse, and to strengthen 'zero-tolerance' policies. This under-reported epidemic has devastating results on the healthcare industry. Studies show that WPV can affect the quality of care and care o...» Full Article
  • ONL’s Nursing Summit 2019 Report

    In January 2019, Organization of Nurse Leaders, MA, RI, NH, CT, VT (ONL) led ten nursing organizations through a Nursing Summit in central Massachusetts to bring nurses together, hear their concerns and feedback, and enhance trust among nurses. The Nursing Summit focused on engaging clinical nurses, listening, and elevating their voice. Every person in the room was a Registered Nurse (RN). By d...» Full Article
  • Through the Eyes of the Workforce: Creating Joy, Meaning, & Safer Health Care

    Workplace safety is inextricably linked to patient safety. Unless caregivers are given the protection, respect, and support they need, they are more likely to make errors, fail to follow safe practices, and not work well in teams. A new report from the Lucian Leape Institute looks at the current state of health care as a workplace, highlights vulnerabilities common in health care organizations, di...» Full Article
  • Seasonal Influenza A (H3N2) Activity & Antiviral Treatment of Patients with Influenza

    In the United States (U.S.), influenza activity has increased significantly over recent weeks with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating so far this season. In the past, A(H3N2) virus-predominant influenza seasons have been associated with more hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older and young children compared to other age groups. In addition, influenza vaccine effectiven...» Full Article
  • AHA’s Combating Violence in Our Communities and Our Hospitals

    Our communities must work together to combat all forms of violence, now viewed as one of the major public health and safety issues throughout the country. Community action programs such as those being undertaken by our nation’s hospitals and health systems (alone and with others) are needed now more than ever to help address violence and the toll it takes on our communities and hospital collea...» Full Article
  • Job Opportunities

    Job Seekers:Find your next Massachusetts hospital or health care job on MAHospitalCareers.com! Sponsored by the Massachusetts Hospital Association, MAHospitalCareers.com helps you locate jobs in nursing, physical therapy, radiology, orthopedics and much more. Search for health care jobs, register for free emailed job alerts, research Massachusetts hospitals and learn about Massachusetts healthca...» Full Article
  • Nursing Initiatives

    In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a landmark report and evidence-based recommendations on the important role nursing will play in our nation's health care transformation.To meet growing health care demands and challenges and to serve patients better, we need to change how nurses are educated, trained, and practice.The Massachusetts Action Coalition is one of 51 coalitions working n...» Full Article
  • 2019 MHA-ONL Nursing Survey Executive Summary

    Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association and Organization of Nurse Leaders MA, RI, NH, CT, VT (ONL) The MHA/ONL 2019 Survey on Hospital Nurse Staffing Issues in Massachusetts was conducted to assess the current hospital-based nursing marketplace in the Commonwealth. The questions were designed to elicit information on nursing staff vacancies, nurse recruiting experiences, workload...» Full Article
  • Resources for Clinicians and Support Staff

    Seasonal Influenza A (H3N2) Activity & Antiviral Treatment of Patients with Influenza In the United States (U.S.), influenza activity has increased significantly over recent weeks with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating so far this season. In the past, A(H3N2) virus-predominant influenza seasons have been associated with more hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older ...» Full Article
  • Scholarships & Educational Resources

    Prime Scholarships Now AvailableThe Prime Scholarship is for students intending to pursue a career as a nurse upon graduation. The scholarship is open to applicants working toward a two year or four year college degree. Follow this link to see the site page and downloadable application. New Nursing Request for Proposals (RFP) has Been ReleasedCheck out on Department of Higher Education  websit...» Full Article
  • Influenza Immunization

    MHA strongly supports the goals of having a healthy workforce, which includes providing the necessary immunizations to ensure that our staff and our patients are protected.We strongly support mandatory flu vaccination for all healthcare providers.  Healthcare providers are the front-line stewards of public health and we believe that our commitment to safe patient care should carry the day in c...» Full Article