Ahead of the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Fall 2019, David Allen discusses how academic partnerships can help cover the nursing shortage that will only deteriorate

1. Interview with: David Allen, Chief
Nursing Officer, Methodist Specialty
and Transplant Hospital
“Many hospitals are hiring more new
nurses than they have traditionally done
before, to cover the nursing shortage
that is only going to get worse.
Partnering with a university or nursing
academy would help a hospital maintain
quality, professionalism, and allow the
student nurses to continue learning,”
advises David Allen, Chief Nursing
Officer, Methodist Specialty and
Transplant Hospital.
Allen is a speaker at the marcus evans
National Healthcare CNO Summit
Fall 2019, taking place in Irving,
Texas, September 19-20.
Could you give us an update on the
nursing shortage, and how CNOs
could fill that gap?
The nursing shortage keeps me and
many of my peers awake at night. It is
an area that needs to grow, as the Baby
Boomers start aging and requiring more
acute care, but we do not have enough
nurses to take care of them. One of the
issues is, we do not have enough clinical
placements and hospitals that can take
nursing students in, and not enough
faculties. We have to think outside the
box and find ways to solve the problem
before it gets much worse. According to
one report, most hospitals will have a
shortage in 2030, with a ten percent
nursing shortage predicted for Texas.
We cannot wait till 2028 to take action.
Why should hospitals consider
partnering with a nursing academy
or university?
It is a win-win across the board. It
builds up professionalism in the young
nurses, and the school’s presence in the
hospital allows for the innovation of new
ideas and evidence-based practice. In
the long run, they improve patient care
and patient outcomes. Fear of the
unknown may push some individuals
away, but there is no downside to
building a partnership.
What is absolutely key for achieving
a healthy and successful partner-
ship?
Laying out exactly what the partnership
entails, and then continual communica-
tion and follow-up. Everything else
takes care of itself. Besides having a
healthy plan, the communication piece
is the most important one.
How can CNOs make sure to
capitalize on the partnership?
When they get involved, they cannot
just jump into it. They have to select
the best partner, sit down, and discuss
the objectives of each party. It is a 50-
50 partnership. They must meet
regularly to make sure they are hitting
those objectives. Some objectives might
need to change, so they have to be
flexible and accept that the hospital
situation is fluid. If their program is too
rigid, it will not be successful. Commu-
nication is paramount in building a
successful partnership.
In addition, the objectives have to be
measurable. Otherwise it will be difficult
to quantify if the partnership has been
successful or not.
What are some of the difficulties or
obstacles that they encounter?
Getting the nurses involved, and making
sure that time is set aside for that. We
have to be creative in how we do that,
and understand that it is for the greater
good of the hospital and profession.
Secondly, making sure that everyone is
getting value from the partnership.
When the objectives of both parties
slowly shift apart, we have to bring
them back together.
What trends should CNOs prepare
for?
CNOs have to figure out what this
shortage will look like for their
organization, and train nurses accord-
ingly. There must be good leaders in
director and manager positions, to
compensate for having novice nurses on
the floor. CNOs should also look at
healthcare trends and be ready for more
acute patients.
Solving the Nursing Shortage
with Academic Partnerships
It is a
win-win
across the
board

2. The Healthcare Network -
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https://events.marcusevans-events.com/healthcarecno2019-david-allen
About the National Healthcare CNO Summit Fall 2019
The 20th National Healthcare CNO Summit is the premium forum bringing senior
level nursing executives and solution providers together. The Summit offers an
intimate environment for a focused discussion of key new drivers shaping the
healthcare industry. Taking place at the Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las
Colinas, Irving, Texas, September 19-20, the Summit includes presentations on
meaningfully mentoring millennials, virtual nursing, encouraging employee
engagement, and transforming healthcare through hospital design.
www.nhcnosummit.com