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For the past several years, a Gallup poll has named nurses, above doctors, the clergy, the military and local law enforcement, as the most honest and ethical profession. www.galluppoll.com/
55 percent of nurses are very satisfied with their profession, up almost 20 percent from five years ago. bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce
Nursing salaries are on the rise. RNs earned on average nearly $60,000 in 2006 as compared with $52,000 in 2004. www.bls.gov/
Sources: Annual Gallup Survey, "America's Most Honest and Ethical Professions", 2006 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics | 
| Kim Bucher, a recipient of a Johnson & Johnson Promise of Nursing scholarship, is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey School of Nursing and currently works as a pediatric nurse at St. Christopher's Hospital. |
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 | | Nursing Shortage Improving, While Much Remains to Be Done
New York City Fireman Ed Moriarty witnessed much of the best and worst in life on September 11, 2001--at Ground Zero. But on that day, and the aftermath which followed, Moriarty witnessed inspirational acts by nurses--on and off duty--which caused him to leave the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and become a nurse.
"I never imagined that I would become a nurse," said Moriarty. "Ironically, my first day as a nurse was on September 11, 2006."
A lot has changed in the past five years for Ed, and many others, but much remains the same.
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Ed Moriarty is pictured with his wife Mari Moriarty. The Moriartys work with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York to provide home health care services to patients across the New York metropolitan area. |
For Kimberly Bucher, a pediatric nurse at St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia, the decision to become a nurse began earlier. "I remember seeing the Johnson & Johnson 'Be a Nurse' posters on the walls in my high school and how much of an impact they had on me," said the recent graduate of The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J.
For others, it may be their mother, grandmother, friend or just a desire to help others that has inspired them to choose a career in nursing. Fortunately, thousands of new nurses are doing just that, and men as well as minorities are giving the profession a serious second look. Since 2002, more than 500,000 new nurses nationwide have joined the profession.
Moriarty, his wife, sister- and brother-in-law (also a former fireman) are now dedicated to providing nursing care for the elderly.
But for every Ed Moriarty or Kim Bucher, there still remains numerous nurse staffing vacancies. For every year that there are double digit increases in nursing school applications, there remain thousands of qualified students turned away--more than 40,000 in 2006--due to a lack of available nurse faculty.
Though health care experts applaud the many private programs and initiatives underway to help alleviate the ongoing crisis, the projected shortage still looms and is expected to exceed nearly 1 million nurses by 2020. And with the perfect storm underway of spiraling health care costs, rapidly aging baby boomers with ever-growing demands for health care, and thousands of experienced and tenured nurses heading into retirement soon, there is much more work to be done as our nation's health care system remains on a crisis trajectory into the next decade.
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Staff members of The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future were instrumental in preparations for the 5th anniversary event. Pictured from left to right: Lorie Kraynak, Kristen Wallace, Lori Culwell, Owen Rankin, and Andrea Higham.
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The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future Crosses Five-Year Mark
A celebration was recently held in New York to mark the fifth year of the Johnson & Johnson commitment to staving off the nation's nurse staffing crisis, commemorate successes and launch new initiatives for the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future.
Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Bill Weldon expressed his gratitude to the crowd of 300 health care professionals and nurses attending the luncheon event at Cipriani Wall Street, and pledged the company's ongoing support for this effort.
At the event, Dr. Diane Mancino, executive director of the National Student Nurses Association, spoke of the impact the Campaign has had on nurses and nursing students and quoted a student from Charity Delgado School of Nursing in New Orleans who attended a special Promise of Nursing for Louisiana:
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Dr. Diane Mancino, executive director of the National Student Nurses Association (left), and Dr. Peter Buerhaus, director for the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies at Vanderbilt University (right), both spoke at the fifth anniversary celebration, held at Cipriani Wall Street. |
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During this past year after Katrina, I have had my share of doubts whether nursing was worth all the stress. In the past few weeks I have found myself not really caring to finish this goal because, to me, nursing was not what I thought it was.
Last night made me remember why I decided to become a nurse. I want Johnson & Johnson to know that the Promise of Nursing event has saved my nursing career... and to let them know how much their program touched my life... and to thank them from the bottom of my heart
"Since the start of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, we've witnessed remarkable growth in nursing school enrollment numbers," said Dr. Peter Buerhaus, director for the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies at Vanderbilt University. "However, we still face a critical shortage that is being compounded by a nurse faculty shortage."
A new television advertising campaign, featuring real nurses in action, was also unveiled at the event. For the first time, the TV campaign includes a nurse faculty recruitment ad designed to attract more nurse educators into the profession. To view the new TV ads, visit http://video.google.com/.
For more information, visit campaignfornursing.com.
 Meet Kieva Skinner
KIEVA SKINNER, RN
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT; BROOKLYN, N.Y.
Q. What made you decide to become a nurse?
A. Initially, I thought that the curriculum for becoming a nurse was too challenging, and I decided to become an administrative assistant. I rethought my career path after flipping through a parenting magazine and seeing a full-page Johnson & Johnson Promise of Nursing advertisement. The advertisement really inspired me to make my dream a reality and return to school to become a nurse.
Q. In what area of nursing do you specialize?
A. I began working at Maimonides Medical Center in September 2005 in the med-surg unit. I have recently transitioned into a new position in the Intensive Care Unit at Maimonides Medical Center. I am extremely excited about this new opportunity and am looking forward to the challenges this type of nursing will bring.
Q. What is a typical day at work like for you?
A. My day begins at 7 p.m. with introductions. I make sure patients are as comfortable as possible to ensure a good night's rest. I typically care for six to eight patients per shift, all of whom range from ambulatory to bed-ridden. At times my patients may become critical, and intensive care must be provided. The nights often become a roller coaster of demands and emotions.
Q. What can you tell others who are interested in nursing?
A. I would encourage all men and women to pursue a career in nursing if they are interested. I love nursing! It is the best career decision I have made in my life. | |
