| Few topics are
more important to people today than health care. Both from
a personal perspective and from a societal viewpoint, Americans
are deeply concerned about what the future holds for them.
The growing need of an aging “baby boomer” generation
is creating an enormous shortage in qualified health care
workers. Challenged by this critical necessity, CAEL, in collaboration
with the US Department of Labor (DOL) has implemented a unique
education and training program in five pilot sites across
the country.
An Innovative Solution with Growth Opportunities
The Nursing Career Lattice Program initiative addresses the
national nursing shortage with the development of a career
lattice program model to increase the number of Certified
Nursing Aides (CNAs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and
Registered Nurses (RNs).
The program assists both incumbent and newly hired workers
to enter and advance in healthcare careers. The model seeks
to:
- Allow participants to earn while they learn in a competency-based
apprenticeship
- Provide more flexible and robust learning opportunities
- Encourage a more diverse group to enter healthcare professions
- Improve workforce retention
Career “Lattice” vs. “Ladder”
CAEL uses the term “lattice” to recognize
that careers do not always follow a linear progression. Workers
often make lateral moves in their careers, which can be just
as important for their career development. To illustrate,
a career “ladder” would focus only on the progression
of CNAs to LPNs to RNs, while a lattice recognizes that LPN
candidates can also be drawn from other branches of the healthcare
field (e.g., lab techs) as well as from non-healthcare professions.
Three Levels of Training
The CNA Lattice
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) apprentices are hired as soon
as they enter the program. Candidates come from inside the
organization, from high schools, and from publicly-funded
One-Stop Career Centers. Training includes:
- 144 hours of clinical and didactic training and 2000
hours of training on the job.
- Special curriculum units on problem solving, stress management,
and
interpersonal skills.
- Specialization opportunities in geriatric, dementia,
pediatric, and restorative care.
The LPN Lattice
At a next level on the lattice, the Licensed Practical Nurse
(LPN) apprenticeship draws candidates from within the healthcare
system (incumbent workers and advanced CNAs) and from outside
(high schools and One-Stop Career Centers). This LPN program:
- Promotes a more flexible, competency-based approach to
training practical nurses - LPNs or LVNs.
- Prepares participants to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam.
The Online LPN to RN Lattice
At the top rung of the lattice, the web-based online LPN-to-RN
program helps LPNs advance to RN positions. This online program:
- Gives working LPNs flexibility in completing the didactic
training.
- Provides articulation with local community colleges to
oversee the clinical training.
- Prepares participants to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.
The Local Program Partners
At each of the five pilot sites--Chicago, Houston, Maryland,
Sioux Falls, and Washington state--the Nursing Career Lattice
Program is an employer-driven partnership that includes:
- Healthcare facilities
- Community colleges
- The public workforce system
- Community organizations, joined by CAEL, DOL, and State
Apprenticeship offices
Healthcare Career Lattices Guidebook
Based upon the success of the Nursing Career Lattice
model at the pilot sites, CAEL has developed a guidebook to
assist healthcare employers, industry alliances, Workforce
Investment Boards, One-Stop Career Centers, and higher education
providers in meeting the challenges of workforce development.
How Career Lattices Help Solve Nursing and Other Workforce
Shortages in Healthcare introduces the key components
that comprise the model, shares important lessons from CAEL’s
experiences, and outlines steps for replication. The development
of this guidebook was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The guidebook includes:
• Key design components of the CAEL/DOL Nursing Career
Lattice Model
• A case study from one of our pilot sites
• Lessons and suggestions from our experiences
• Steps for planning, implementing the model, and ensuring
ongoing success
• Sample materials
How Career Lattices Help Solve Nursing and Other Workforce
Shortages in Healthcare
Click
here
for a free pdf version
Due to the size of the above pdf, you may find it easier to
download by section. Please click beneath the "Pages"
field for the corresponding PDF section.
| Pages |
Contents |
| Cover-7
|
Cover, introductory materials, table of contents,
and executive summary
|
| 8-46 |
The narrative
|
| 47-74 |
Appendix table of contents and appendices A - C
|
| 75-104 |
Appendices D – F6
|
| 105-148 |
Appendices F7 – G3
|
Best Practices Research
An important component of CAEL's work on this project has
been to identify exemplary learning practices specific to
healthcare employers. CAEL staff has visited a small number
of leading healthcare organizations to learn how organizations
implement the exemplary practices and about the kind of environment
that allows such systems to thrive. We have recently published
a report with case studies that will help inform the
practices of healthcare organizations throughout the country.
Employee Development: A Prescription for Better Healthcare
An Executive Summary 14 pages
Click
Here for a free PDF version
Employee Development: A Prescription for Better Healthcare
Exemplary Practices of Employee Learning and Development in
Healthcare Organizations 83 pages
Click
Here for a free PDF version
CAEL works with healthcare organizations, colleges and universities, and the public sector to set up programs across the country. Unfortunately, we are not able to link individuals to specific programs. If you are looking to start a career in healthcare, here are some resources you can pursue:
Your local Department of Labor Apprenticeship office
http://www.doleta.gov/oa/stateoffices.cfm
Community colleges
Community-based organizations
Healthcare organizations
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