WORKFORCE
Workforce challenges are multifaceted and represent one of the greatest pressure points in healthcare for Alaska and nationally. Following prolonged stress from the COVID-19 pandemic, workforce challenges are especially intense and are anticipated to worsen over time.
This page contains data on Alaska's healthcare workforce, AHHA's strategies for working collaboratively to find solutions and support facilities in recruiting and retention efforts, and links to resources and readings.
Workforce
Highlights
Find new ideas, practical tips, and inspiration in this gallery. Learn from what colleagues across the state are doing through this peer-to-peer sharing of innovation & lessons learned.
AHHA's WORKFORCE STRATEGY
Click on the links below to learn more about AHHA's strategy to support members and work with community partners to grow the healthcare workforce.
Questions?
Contact a member of our workforce team to learn more about ways to get engaged:
Elizabeth King, MPH
Senior Director of Behavioral Health & Workforce
Marjie Hamburger
Director of Workforce
RESOURCES:
Funding for Facility-Led Initiatives
AHHA members may apply for start-up or pilot funding for workforce initiatives to try out new ideas, gather data on outcomes, and secure longer-term funding for successful strategies.
PIPELINE
Forge strong partnerships between the healthcare industry, schools, and students (K-12+) to recruit, train, and graduate healthcare professionals to build a sustainable workforce pipeline in Alaska.
PATHWAYS
Develop healthcare career pathways and professional development opportunities to provide training and advance skills that will improve patient care and employee retention.
PROTECTION
Develop and implement practices that support wellness, increase resiliency, and address burnout, violence, and other threats to retention. Remove barriers that overburden the industry and workers.
Current initiatives include the following programs, partnerships and resources:
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Work-based learning opportunities for students of all ages.
Menu of Opportunities (download the pdf): Work-based learning allows students to gain exposure to healthcare careers while building skills and knowledge. It can also be an effective way for healthcare organizations to recruit talented young Alaskans. Explore this menu of options created with Alaska Center for Rural Health and Health Workforce - Alaska's AHEC to learn how your organization can support and engage youth in your community.
Hiring Minors: A Guide to Developing Alaska's Future Workforce (download the pdf): Hiring youth (14-17 year-olds) is a great way to fill gaps in the workforce on a short-term basis and provide young people with an introduction to healthcare careers. This guide is designed as a starting point for healthcare facilities to develop a hiring program for minors, developed with Alaska AHEC and lessons learned from facilities across the state.
Junior Achievement (JA) K-6 pilot program: AHHA is partnering with JA to engage healthcare professionals in volunteering to deliver packaged lessons that help expose young people to career options in healthcare. To learn more, complete this online form.
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Expansion of healthcare apprenticeships in Alaska. Learn more about best practices and resources for developing apprenticeships in Alaska by watching this recorded webinar (pass code 3y?KSSp+) presented by AHHA, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Alaska Primary Care Association, and Equus Workforce Solutions.
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Recruiting and retaining CNAs: AHHA has contracted with the State of Alaska to support and expand the CNA workforce by leading a communications campaign to recruit and retain CNAs, providing "earn and learn" incentives for facilities to recruit and retain CNAs, and developing a plan for a CNA apprenticeship program. Facilities can find resources and further details at alaskacna.org.
Current initiatives include the following programs, partnerships and resources:
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Nursing Professional Development and Specialty Training: The Alaska Perioperative Nursing Consortium was formed in 2011 and was later followed by a perinatal training. AHHA is currently exploring options to revive the perinatal training, provide psychiatric specialty training, and continue to broaden our training programs to encompass other needed sub-specialties.
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Gero Nurse Prep is an online training course to prepare RNs who care for elders to attain board certification in Gerontological Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This course equips RNs with essential clinical knowledge, skills, and competencies for gerontological nursing practice and leadership of elder care teams. Click here for more information about course reimbursement and registration for AHHA members.
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Nurse Technician regulation changes: AHHA recommends changes to the State of Alaska nursing regulations to allow for a new role, Nurse Technician (NT), so that student nurses hired by healthcare facilities would be able to perform nursing duties beyond the CNA-level. AHHA formed a working group to draft proposed changes that will be presented to the Board of Nursing on February 1, 2023. Click here to view the Nurse Technician concept paper.
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Providence Nurse Residency Pilot Project: AHHA is joining forces with Providence to offer a nurse residency pilot program for small and rural facilities around Alaska that would work to reduce turnover among new nurse graduates. Please contact AHHA’s workforce team for more information. You can access the informational webinar (password: 5T@BW8xT) and the slide presentation to learn more.
Current initiatives include the following programs, partnerships and resources:
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Engage Facilities in Efforts to Address Burnout: AHHA has partnered with DES Health Consulting on a burnout and wellness initiative pilot project led by Dr. Dan Shapiro. Five facilities are part of an initial cohort that began working together in December, 2021.
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Wellness Resources: In response to increased burnout, depression and other forms of distress among healthcare workers, AHHA created a resource page for professionals and facilities to provide a collection of tools for finding and providing support, and strategies for creating work environments that prioritize the well-being of healthcare workers.
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Workplace Violence Prevention: AHHA's Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit includes resources to support hospital leaders in communicating with staff, working with law enforcement, and developing comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans.