Nurses in Wisconsin speak with one voice for nursing workforce issues.
The mission of the Wisconsin Center for Nursing is to assure an adequate, well-prepared and diverse nurse workforce for the people of Wisconsin.
In 2001, a dedicated group of visionary nurse leaders came together to discuss strategies that could assure an adequate, well-prepared, and diverse nurse workforce to meet the needs of the citizens of Wisconsin. This early collaboration brought about the creation of the Wisconsin Center for Nursing (WCN) in 2005, with the goal to alleviate a public health crisis caused by a shortage of nurses in the future. These predicted shortages are attributed to an aging nurse workforce, as well as the impending increased demand for nurses to care for an increasingly diverse and aging population.
The work of WCN is focused in five core nursing areas: data, education, diversity, partnerships, and leadership.
Through the tireless efforts of nursing leaders and Senator Judy Robson, legislation was enacted on June 29, 2009 to provide for data collection. Wisconsin Statute 106.30, “Nursing workforce survey and grant,” was enacted to ensure ongoing data collection to assess, plan and develop the nursing workforce. This important legislation provided an historical first survey of 77, 553 registered nurses during the re-licensure process in 2010, and will continue to do so bi-annually, alternating years with licensed practical nurses.