Regarding New York Senate Bill 447 allowing for up to 33% of required clinical training and competency to be completed through simulation experience.
On January 23rd 2023, nursing educators, School of Nursing deans, and senior nursing students from several schools across New York State convened in Albany to lobby legislators and senators from several New York districts to argue for support that would allow nursing schools in New York to substitute upwards of 33% of clinical training and competency to be used in place of clinical time.
Tom Schnurr, Director of Government Affairs Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), guided the group to meet with the legislators and presented the case that New York will have a nursing shortage of approximately 40,000 nurses by 2030 if corrective actions are not taken (State Department of Health).
This was pertinent as several of the nursing schools that attended in support claimed that growing their programs were being impeded by lack of clinical availability. Also argued was the issue of parity when it applied to student experiences as not all students in a clinical group will be able to have the same experiences, something simulation education, when properly developed according to INACSL best practice standards, can produce equal NCLEX results to schools that used no simulation. Senior nursing students also argued that simulation aligned with didactic education helped promote their understanding of clinical concepts and improved their psychomotor skills as simulation allowed them to safely perform procedures that they would not otherwise be allowed to perform on clinical units with real patients.
Ms. Elma Borcilo, Senior Director of State Relations and Community Affairs from the office of Government Relations at the University of Rochester and Ms Sarah Mangelsdorf , President of the University of Rochester, met with the chairs of New York Education Department and provided this update:
John,
Hope your week is going well and thanks for reaching out about this. Last week we were in Albany with President Mangelsdorf and actually got to meet with both chairs of higher education in the Senate and Assembly and we expressed our strong support for the legislation.
As of now, the bill has moved through the Senate committee process and is currently “on the floor” meaning that at any time it could be placed on the calendar for a full vote. In the Assembly, it has not started the process through committees yet. This is not surprising given that from now until April 1st the legislature is very much so focused on the budget process and less on bills that wouldn’t have a “fiscal” or have to be taken up during the budget process.
I think there is a ton of support for the bill even though SED has been pushing back. I know Tom and the folks at CICU continue to push with the Legislature.
Thanks!
Elma
1. https://www.journalofnursingregulation.com/article/S2155-8256(15)30062-4/abstract
https://health.ny.gov/press/reports/docs/2020-08_staffing_report
