Nursing Resources & Links

AHEC Nursing Initiatives

New York State has serious health workforce shortages. Hospitals, long-term care and home healthcare agency leaders in communities across New York State have identified critical shortages in dental, medicine, mental health, nursing, medical technology, as well as ongoing needs for medicine and pharmacy.

Some of Catskill Hudson AHEC’s current initiatives include:

Nursing Summit – Catskill Hudson AHEC
The Nursing Summit has provided an educational forum for the nursing profession since 2005, presenting timely issues to strengthen the nurse workforce.  

Emergency Responder Leadership Academy – Catskill Hudson AHEC
The Emergency Responder Leadership Academy, developed and presented by Catskill Hudson AHEC since 2005, provides an educational forum for the leadership of our region’s emergency services. This program targets professional development in Emergency Service management, administration, supervision, public relations, budgeting and other areas that are critical to every emergency service’s long-term success.

Health Professions Seminars – Catskill Hudson AHEC 
In 2016, Catskill Hudson AHEC will introduce Health Professions Seminars; a continuing education series for Health Providers.  These annual educational forums will incorporate highly relevant topics surrounding the health professions with instruction by experts in the field. 

For more information about these programs, please visit our Continuing Education Programs section.

If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive information about future programs, please email your request to Carolyn Steele at csteele@wildersite.com.

dentist and assistant with patient
dental assistant with tool

Nursing Shortage

A major public health challenge for the future of our nation’s health care system is the increasing aging population.  In New York State, the shortage of nurses varies by region and is only in part due to the increasing aging population.  Other factors affecting this trend in NYS are the uneven distribution of nurses within the state and a shortage of nursing faculty especially in rural and underserved communities.  It is predicted that the need for nurses as well as other healthcare professionals will continue to increase over the next several years.

For more information about the Nursing Shortage, please visit the following websites:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing – Nursing Shortage Resources
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/nursing-shortage

Hospital Association of New York State – Nursing Shortage
http://www.hanys.org/workforce/reports/2010-06-07_nurse_survey_results_2010.pdf
http://www.hanys.org/workforce/docs/2012-05-10_workforce_allied_2012_survey_report.pdf

University of Albany Center for Workforce Studies Projections of Registered Nurse Supply and Demand
http://www.albany.edu/news/release_4809.php

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Future of the Nursing Workforce: National- and State-level Projections, 2012-2025
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/supplydemand/nursing/workforceprojections/

medical students in lab
nurse in hospital hallway
radiologists and patient

Nursing Resources

Scope of Practice

State laws, institutional policies and licensure specify “scope of practice” or what responsibilities, tasks or functions a nurse is allowed to perform while working.  For more information about Scopes of Practice for nurses practicing in New York State, please visit the following websites:

Office of the Professions, Practice Information  http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursepracticeissues.htm

Office of the Professions, Nursing Guide to Practice
http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nurse-guide-april09.pdf