Western Massachusetts Nursing Collaborative Slates Celebration Event
On Wednesday, the Western Massachusetts Nursing Collaborative (WMNC) will honor past and present nurse leader and educator members at a celebration event “Appreciate Nurses Now, Inspire Nurses for the Future” at the Delany House in Holyoke.
The WMNC is a coalition of nurse leaders focused on the critical role the nursing workforce plays in the delivery of quality care. Pre-pandemic, the World Health Organization designated 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and the Midwife” to recognize the invaluable role of nurses in the healthcare system. The pandemic tested all of us, and nurses in a unique way. Nurses were not able to celebrate their contributions to healthcare, as the designation intended. As a result, the Year of the Nurse was extended through 2025. For this reason, the WMNC is appreciating nurses now and inspiring nurses for the future.
Since its founding in 2006, the WMNC has been both active and responsive to the region’s changing needs. It remains dedicated to the following goals of increasing retention of new nurses in all healthcare settings, ensuring nurses have the competencies and full scope of practice to meet the health needs of the community, increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce in Western Mass., increasing the number of nurses in the region with a BSN/BS in nursing or advanced degree, and increasing the supply and diversity of nursing faculty in Western Mass.
The WMMC consists of multiple academic and healthcare service partners, and is an initiative of MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board.