CNE focuses recruitment on closing the nurse experience gap

The retirement of experienced nurses during the pandemic is a key concern for chief nurse executives (CNEs). Trish O'Keefe, PhD, RN, senior vice president and CNE for Atlantic Health System based in Morristown, N.J., spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about how her network is navigating the current staffing crisis. “We're looking at other types of mentorship programs to keep those experienced nurses who are potentially retiring still engaged and part of an educational program for our new staff,” she said. To ensure patient safety, she is most concerned about retaining nurses in specialty areas such as emergency nursing and critical care. Supporting new nurses and the resilience of the entire care team is also a priority, she said. (Becker’s Hospital Review article, 11/5/21)