Abstract

Maryland’s Nursing Workforce Study identified critical shortages in registered nurses and nurse educators, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable, equity-focused strategies to strengthen the workforce and academic pipeline (Global Data, 2022; Maryland Hospital Association, 2022; National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, 2020). To address these challenges, XXX was expanded as a statewide platform that advocates for healthier work environments through actionable, evidence-based resources. A team of academic content experts, GIS specialists, and marketers collaborated to design and implement new site features. The “Be a Maryland Nurse” page was developed to highlight statewide data and showcase successful retention strategies. It features findings from a retention survey, interactive dashboards displaying employment, compensation, and demographic trends, as well as nurse testimonials. In addition, the site provides practical resources to support workforce retention and engagement. XXX expansion of the retention page showcases the work being done to support a healthier workplace culture including flexible scheduling, shared governance, DEI initiatives, violence-prevention strategies, recognition programs, and innovative care delivery models (Partners for Nurse Staffing Think Tank, 2022). The “Be a Maryland Nurse” campaign, launched in April 2024, combines interactive data and stories of workforce resilience. Since launch, the platform has engaged over 8,500 users with 10,136 page views. Building on its success, the team is now addressing nursing faculty retention by identifying effective, evidence-based strategies. XXX offers a scalable model for promoting healthier work environments through data-driven advocacy.

Notes

Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.

Additional references included in attached slide deck.

References:

Global Data. (2022, June). Maryland Nursing Workforce Study. https://mhaonline.org/transforming-health-care/workforce
Maryland Hospital Association. (2022, June). Maryland nurse workforce projections 2021-2035. https://www.mhaonline.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/maryland-nurse- workforce-projections-globaldata.pdf

National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice. (2020). Preparing nurse faculty and addressing the shortage of nurse faculty and clinical preceptors: 17th Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the US Congress. https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/advisory-committees/nursing/reports/nacnep-17report-2021.pdf

Partners for Nurse Staffing Think Tank. (2022). Nurse staffing task force.
https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nurse-staffing/nurse-staffing-task-force/

Description

LeadNursingForward.org’s “Be a Maryland Nurse” campaign advances workforce advocacy by sharing data, showcasing retention strategies, and providing resources that promote healthy environments for nurses and educators across Maryland.

Author Details

Kaynabess "Kayna" Freda, EdD, RN, CMSRN, CNE; Lisa Seldomridge, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF; Abigail Johnson, BA

Salisbury University Salisbury, Maryland, USA

Sigma Membership

Lambda Eta

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Workforce, Transition to Practice or Onboarding, Sustainable Development Goals, Labor Supply, Onboarding (Management Coaching), Sustainable Development, Maryland

Conference Name

Creating Healthy Work Environments

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Washington, DC, USA

Conference Year

2026

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2026-04-22

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LeadNursingForward.org and a Focus on Nursing Retention: Advocating for Maryland’s Nursing Workforce

Washington, DC, USA

Maryland’s Nursing Workforce Study identified critical shortages in registered nurses and nurse educators, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable, equity-focused strategies to strengthen the workforce and academic pipeline (Global Data, 2022; Maryland Hospital Association, 2022; National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, 2020). To address these challenges, XXX was expanded as a statewide platform that advocates for healthier work environments through actionable, evidence-based resources. A team of academic content experts, GIS specialists, and marketers collaborated to design and implement new site features. The “Be a Maryland Nurse” page was developed to highlight statewide data and showcase successful retention strategies. It features findings from a retention survey, interactive dashboards displaying employment, compensation, and demographic trends, as well as nurse testimonials. In addition, the site provides practical resources to support workforce retention and engagement. XXX expansion of the retention page showcases the work being done to support a healthier workplace culture including flexible scheduling, shared governance, DEI initiatives, violence-prevention strategies, recognition programs, and innovative care delivery models (Partners for Nurse Staffing Think Tank, 2022). The “Be a Maryland Nurse” campaign, launched in April 2024, combines interactive data and stories of workforce resilience. Since launch, the platform has engaged over 8,500 users with 10,136 page views. Building on its success, the team is now addressing nursing faculty retention by identifying effective, evidence-based strategies. XXX offers a scalable model for promoting healthier work environments through data-driven advocacy.