LTC Initiatives

LTC Initiative

MHA through the Office of Nursing Workforce (ONW) was granted a High Growth Job Training Initiative for the Long Term Care Sector of Health Care Industry through the Department of Labor funding opportunity through development and implementation of the Mississippi Long Term Care Workforce Initiative (LTC Initiative). Mississippi LTC employers have identified the extreme and critical challenges of recruiting and retaining adequately trained licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in sufficient numbers to meet the long term care needs for geriatric and disabled patients.

The LTC Initiative is an exemplar of community college preparation of individuals for excellent jobs with well-established career ladders, from CNA to LPN to Registered Nurse (RN). The LTC Initiative includes recruitment of high schools (secondary) students into a dual enrollment practical nurse programs with incremental certification as a CNA, recruitment into LTC jobs, transition from student to practicing nurse, new graduate and staff retention, and accelerated career paths for advanced education.

The LTC Initiative is piloted in the central part of the state in two sites, each having a partnering community college Practical Nursing program, a high school, and a LTC. The program patterns after the Mississippi High School Nurse Academy Model, which boasts strong partnerships between the community college system, area high schools, collaborating healthcare facilities, the Mississippi Department of Employments Security (MDES), and the Workforce Investment Network (WIN).

One of the major strengths of the LTC Initiative is that Mississippi already has a statewide and diverse network of partners. Additional partners represent several critical areas including Mississippi Health Care Association (MSHCA—Long Term Care Association of Mississippi), www. mshca.com, MS Council of Deans and Directors of Schools of Nursing, Mississippi Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE), Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, Mississippi State Board of Junior and Community Colleges, Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi Legislature, and Area Health Education Centers.

The LTC Initiative focuses on five major elements: Recruitment, Education, Workplace Transition, Retention, and Career Ladders.

• Recruitment – Recruitment campaign for middle and high school students, Health Careers Center, publications in the MS Business Journal NEXT, WIN Job Centers and other media.
• Education – Dual Enrollment Education implemented via the MS Board Community and Junior College and Department of Education. Virtual Student Navigator implemented via ONW.
• Workplace Transition – Extended orientation process for newly licensed practical nurses by enhancing education and practice, promoting development of skills, and facilitating the transition from student to practicing nurse as well as increasing diversity and cultural sensitivity of the participants.
• Retention – Administer an organizational climate assessment tool annually to determine satisfaction gaps in order to develop and implement strategies to address opportunities for improvement.
• Career Ladders – Provide continuing education for the staff as well as job promotions and higher wages. Assessments of the needs of staff and leadership will determine what continuing education programs will be developed and implemented. Availability of tuition reimbursement will allow staff the opportunity to articulate the career ladder.

The expected outcomes include reduced vacancy and turnover rates, increased staff satisfaction, improved resident satisfaction, and competent new nurses who express job satisfaction in participating long term care facilities.