School of Nursing Dean to deliver keynote speech for New York Community College Trustees Conference
(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — SEPTEMBER 24, 2024) Maureen Kroning, interim dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health, will deliver the keynote address at the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT) 70th annual conference at the Saratoga Casino Hotel Oct. 3-5, 2024. Kroning was asked to deliver the keynote because of her impactful research on the nationwide nursing shortage, community health, and how New York State legislation can help.
This year’s NYCCT conference will focus primarily on health care education and workforce development, a pressing issue for education leaders looking to enforce and strengthen nursing education and career growth amid a challenging time for professionals in health care.
Kroning’s article, “Critical Nursing Shortage Jeopardizes the Health of our Communities, Pending NYS Bill Can Help,” was written in March 2023 and explores the shortage of qualified nursing personnel, which Kroning said was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kroning said the intensified stress on an already strained health care system led to more health care workers leaving their jobs and supports a bill in the New York State Senate that would allow up to a third of simulation as a portion of clinical training for nursing students. Kroning said this legislation could lead to an increase in nursing school enrollments and help close staffing gaps.
“It emphasizes the role that both community colleges and higher education can play in alleviating this crisis by expanding strategic partnerships, increasing funding sources, finding innovative ways to meet student clinical training opportunities such as through advanced simulation training,” Kroning said.
In her role as Interim Dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health at Empire State University, Kroning has been working to create and expand health care programs that align with the current job market needs and design courses to meet industry demands with hands-on training. Kroning said she is also advocating for increased funding to support the expansion of SUNY Empire’s health care programs and highlights the health care staffing crisis to government officials, health care providers, and community leaders, to stress the urgency of the staffing crisis and how educational institutions can address it.
In her keynote address, Kroning said she intends to emphasize the pivotal role educational institutions can play in addressing the current health care workforce shortage by partnering with other institutions, health care providers, and other stakeholders.
“I will highlight how these institutions can be instrumental in meeting the growing demand for health care professionals by expanding training programs, integrating innovative simulation technologies, and creating clear pathways into the health care field,” Kroning said. “By collaborating institutional and sectoral boundaries, we can develop effective solutions, share resources, and enhance educational outcomes. Working together is crucial for overcoming barriers, optimizing training programs, and ultimately increasing the number of qualified health care workers available to meet the critical needs of our communities.”