Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112082

Carole Jakeway, RN, MPH, Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Human Resources, 2 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 15.470, Atlanta, GA 30303-2700 and Sarah M. Hall, RN, MSN, MPH, Office of Nursing, Georgia Division of Public Health, 2 Peachtree Street, NW, 15-294A, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-463-0129, smhall1@dhr.state.ga.us.

Public Health Nurses comprise the single largest segment of the total public health workforce in Georgia. There were 1,669 public health nurses throughout the 159 counties in FY04 that worked in nearly every program. Since 1999, Georgia has experienced increased public health nurse turnover and vacancy rates that threaten the scope and quality of public health services. The potential impact of this nursing shortage includes delays in detecting cancers and other early signs of disease, increased preventable diseases and deaths, increased acute care costs from hospitalizations and emergency room visits for health care, and a reduced capacity to respond to a local disaster or bioterrorism events. Non-competitive salaries, lack of incentives, stressful work, and an aging/retiring workforce have contributed to this growing crisis.

The Office of Nursing at the Georgia Division of Public Health, in conjunction with leadership and participation from other agencies, districts, and counties, has supported the development of a statewide PHN recruitment and retention strategy to address the public health nurse workforce shortage. The steps to create this strategy have included conducting a statewide job satisfaction survey with all public health nurses in Georgia, sharing the survey results with multiple nursing groups (nurse executives, front line nurses, and state office nurses) and compiling their specific strategies, and developing a Nursing Crisis Proposal to address salary concerns. Future steps include the expansion of the mentoring program, changing the compensation system and enhancing ways to communicate the value of public health nursing.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• Outline the steps to garner support for an effective public health nursing recruitment and retention plan.
• List the components or programs developed to reduce turnover and vacancy rates in Georgia.
• Discuss solutions to obstacles and barriers that may arise.

Keywords: Nurses,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation