RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC Center on the Workforce for Health launched a new nursing workforce initiative on Wednesday, February 11, to coordinate action on North Carolina’s persistent nursing shortages and strengthen the pathways and supports for nursing professionals across the state.

The Center convened the Nursing Workforce Coordinating Council (NWCC), a statewide, nurse-led group that will play an essential role in shaping the future of North Carolina’s nursing workforce. The NWCC creates space for nursing workforce leaders to collaborate and guide strategy, inform policy, and ensure a cohesive vision for supporting nurses and the nursing workforce across the state. 

The NWCC is composed of nursing leaders, educators, employers, healthcare executives, researchers, and representatives from key state agencies. It was established to guide the Center’s efforts in addressing the nursing workforce challenges and advancing the recommendations of the NCIOM Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce (Time for Action: Securing A Strong Nursing Workforce for North Carolina), the Caregiving Workforce Strategic Leadership Council (Investing in North Carolina’s Caregiving Workforce), and NC Health Talent Alliance.

“North Carolina’s nurses are the backbone of our health system, and addressing workforce challenges requires collaboration and bold action,” said Sarah Kaminer Bourland, RN BSN MPH, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “The Nursing Workforce Coordinating Council will be pivotal to shaping a unified state strategy to recruit, train, and retain a robust nursing workforce. This work is critical to strengthening access to high quality care for every person and community in North Carolina.”

The Council includes 26 members, with 13 seats reserved for designated organizational partners and 13 seats open to applicants who hold key positions and leadership roles in nursing practice and education. Additional opportunities for engagement beyond direct membership on the Council will be available in the coming months. Organizations and individuals interested in learning more and getting involved are encouraged to contact NC Center on the Workforce for Health.

To support this work, Jill Forcina, NC AHEC Director of Nursing and Education, will dually serve as the Center’s Senior Nursing Advisor and drive development of this new initiative. In this newly created role, Forcina will provide strategic guidance on nursing workforce initiatives, support cross-sector collaboration, and help shape statewide efforts to strengthen clinical education capacity, improve retention throughout the nursing pipeline, and expand career pathways.

She will continue in her NC AHEC role where she oversees statewide student services, continuing professional development opportunities, and nursing and interprofessional initiatives.

“Jill is an extraordinary leader who has advanced several high-impact nursing workforce initiatives. I am thrilled and grateful that NC AHEC is contributing some of her capacity to ensure this work is nurse-led and focused on shared priorities,” said Andy MacCracken, Center director.

The Center has also contracted with NCIOM to provide project management support to the NWCC and ensure continuity in implementation of recommendations elevated by the NCIOM Task Force on the Future of the Nursing Workforce.

“A robust nursing workforce is critical to meeting North Carolina’s growing demand for healthcare services,” said Michelle Reis, CEO of the NC Institute of Medicine. “NCIOM is proud to support the Center and the Nursing Workforce Coordinating Council as it turns recommendations and research into coordinated, statewide action that delivers real results for nurses and the communities they serve.”

About the NC Center on the Workforce for Health
The NC Center on the Workforce for Health launched in 2022 to provide a forum for health employers, workers, educators, policymakers, and other key stakeholders across the state to address critical workforce challenges, share best practices, and identify solutions. This statewide forum builds on a partnership between NC AHEC, NC Institute of Medicine, and the Sheps Center Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy to provide coordinated, persistent action and track progress with measurable outcomes. For more information, visit workforceforhealth.org.