NLN Introduces the Healthful Work Environment Tool Kit

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

the healthful work environment tool kit

in 2003, the nln task group on recruitment and retention of faculty, in conjunction with the katharine j. densford international center for nursing leadership at the university of minnesota school of nursing, invited educators to participate in the online national study of faculty role satisfaction. the purpose was to obtain information about individual, institutional, and leadership factors affecting faculty work satisfaction and productivity. unfortunately, 47 percent of the full-time faculty who responded to the survey stated that they would not choose to work in their current schools if they had the option to leave.

this dramatic finding, coming during a serious shortage of nurse faculty, led members of newdac-the nln nurse educator workforce development advisory council-to explore what role the national league for nursing should play in helping member schools take a proactive approach to improving conditions for their faculty. a new task group-the task group on healthful work environments-took on this assignment. after conducting additional research, the group developed the healthful work environment tool kit, a series of questions designed to stimulate discussion that leads to an action plan for continuous quality improvement. the questions in the healthful work environment tool kit cover nine key areas and are presented with links to relevant online resources.

insights gained from these assessments will be used to create healthful work environments that support faculty in their work, promote excellence and innovation, generate ideas for improving the work environment, and contribute to the recruitment and retention of faculty.

the hwe tool kit can be used to: (a) engage faculty, administrators, students, and staff in a dialogue about how to improve or create a healthful work environment; and (b) design an action plan for continuous quality improvement. from a recruitment and retention standpoint, the assessment questions may be used by search committees as points to address with potential faculty members, by candidates interviewing for or seeking information about a faculty position, and by administrators to measure faculty satisfaction.

http://www.nln.org/profdev/healthfulworkenvironment/index.htm