Colorado Center For Nursing Excellence

BUILDING ON A FOUNDATION OF EVIDENCE, THE CENTER ADVOCATES FOR AND PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COACHING AND DATA ANALYSIS TO CONTINUALLY STRENGTHEN THE NURSING AND HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. OUR DEFINING STRATEGY IS TO CONVENE AND ENGAGE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS TO EMERGING HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES.

GERIATRIC WORKFORCE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM: STRIDE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS CONTRACTED COLORADO CENTER FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE (THE CENTER) TO LARGELY RUN ALL PROGRAMMATIC PIECES OF WORK DESIGNED TO BUILD A STRONGER ELDER CARE WORKFORCE BOTH WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATION AND ACROSS THE STATE OF COLORADO. THE CENTER RUNS THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM AREAS: VIRTUAL DEMENTIA TOUR (5,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO BE TRAINED), CNA TRAINING (FOCUSED ON BUILDING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS OF CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS WORKING IN ELDER CARE), INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING (MSW AND APRN STUDENTS IN YEAR LONG PROGRAMS TO LEARN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM SKILLS, AND AGE FRIENDLY HEALTH CENTER TRAINING (DESIGNED TO BUILD COMPETENCIES IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES CARING FOR THE ELDERLY).

ALL OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ALL OTHER PROGRAMS.

REGISTERED NURSES IN PRIMARY CARE PROGRAM: VALLEY WIDE HEALTH CENTERS CONTRACTED THE CENTER TO COORDINATE WITH ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY TO BUILD A NEW PRIMARY CARE NURSING CURRICULUM FOR NURSING STUDENTS INTERESTED IN ENTERING THE PRIMARY CARE SPECIALTY AND ASSIST WITH TRAININGS TO TEACH PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS HOW TO FULLY UTILIZE NURSES AT THE TOP OF THEIR SCOPE OF PRACTICE. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES STIPENDS AND COACHING FOR A YEAR TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE ENTERED THE PRIMARY CARE TRACK AT ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY. THE CENTER ALSO LEADS THE CLINICA SUMMIT, A YEAR LONG PROGRAM IN WHICH THE CENTER TEACHES LEADERSHIP TO PRIMARY CARE NURSES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ON HOW TO SET UP BEST PRACTICES DESIGNED FOR POSITIVE PATIENT OUTCOMES IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING. EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVES A YEAR OF COACHING TO SUPPORT THEIR LEARNING WHILE THEY COMPLETE A CAPSTONE PROJECT WITHIN THE CLINICS IN WHICH THEY WORK.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION: REGIS UNIVESITY CONTRACTED WITH THE CENTER TO LEAD THREE RURAL NURSE RUN CLINICS IN CREATING A NEW WORKFORCE WITHIN EACH CLINIC WHICH INTEGRATES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THE PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT EACH CLINIC BE ASSISTED IN HIRING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST AND THEN UNDERGO MULTIPLE TRAININGS PROVIDED BY THE CENTER FOCUSED ON INTEGRATING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTO THEIR PRACTICES. EACH CLINIC IS ASSISTED IN MOVING TOWARD A VARIETY OF INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE LEVELS WITH A GOAL OF ATTAINING SUBSTANCE ABUSE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA) LEVEL 6. ONCE ATTAINED THE CLINIC IS CONSIDERED FULLY QUALIFIED AS AN INTEGRATED HEALTH CENTER.