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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Katherine K. Kinsey, PhD, RN, FAAN¹, Terence Young, MA², Marie James, CRNP³, Tine Hansen-Turton, MG⁴, Patricia L. Gerrity, CNHP⁵, Mary Beth Haas, MSN, CRNP⁶, Rita Lourie, MSN, MPH, RN⁷, Jane Pray, MSN⁵, Nancy L. Rothman, EdD, RN⁸, and Lisa Harris, MSN, MBA⁴. (1) National Nursing Centers Consortium, Nurse-Family Partnership Collaborative of Philadelphia, 18th Floor, 260 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 609-865-6275, kkinsey501@cs.com, (2) Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, 9th Floor, 1101 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (3) Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 1101 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (4) National Nursing Centers Consortium, NFP, 18th Floor, 260 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (5) Community Health, Drexel University, 1505 Race Street, Mail Stop 501, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, (6) Lutheran Children and Family Service, Nurse-Family Partnership, 5902 North Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120, (7) Department of Nursing, Temple University, 3307 N. Broad Street 602-00, Philadelphia, PA 19140, (8) Department of Nursing, College of Health Professions, Temple University, 3307 N. Broad Street 602-00, Philadelphia, PA 19140

Health care organizations are increasingly concerned about nursing workforce issues. Concerns include the “graying” of employed nurses as well as the limited number of entry level nurses as seasoned professionals retire or find “outside” employment. A critical challenge faced by public health organizations regarding recruitment/retention of highly qualified nurses is the salary/bonus incentives offered by acute care institutions. Furthermore, the nature of public health work in challenging community settings, stagnant salaries, and limited advancement opportunities are disincentives for nurses thinking about or currently in public health positions. The Philadelphia Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Collaborative, formed in 2001, is funded by the Philadelphia Departments of Human Services and Health. Twenty-four nurses are involved in the local program. This is a replication model that provides nurse home visit services to low income mothers-to-be and their offspring until the child reaches his/her second birthday. Each home visit nurse must carry a caseload of 25 to 27 participants (mothers) and concomitant number of offspring. The home visit protocols are clearly established and over the course of approximately 30 months 66 to 70 home visits will be made. A typical home visit is 65 minutes or longer. The NFP program effects include improved prenatal health, fewer childhood injuries, increased maternal employment, improved school readiness, and reduction in child abuse and neglect. Each NFP nurse is required to possess a BSN or higher for employment. The Philadelphia NFP program, as a collaborative of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, Lutheran Children and Family Service, Temple Health Connection and 11th Street Family Health Services, share common concerns regarding recruitment and retention strategies. This paper highlights the NFP program “appeal” to professional nurses; examines why some nurses have “moved on”; recognizes the “staying” power of others, and presents some pressing concerns regarding recruitment and retention in future years. The concerns include travel, criminal activity, salary/benefits, the overall NFP staffing design as well as differences among the Collaborators regarding employment packages. Another point emphasized is the opinion of some professionals to make the NFP a paraprofessional program to reduce the “costs”. The paper reiterates “you get what you pay for”.

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