TONL Forums: Leading and Learning Together

By C. Plonien

While there are many informative nursing forums for professional nursing, the TONL Forums offer a unique opportunity for TONL Members to network, communicate, innovate, teach, learn and support each other as a TONL Team. The focus of topics includes all aspects of nursing leadership, management, and administration. TONL members are diverse with extensive experience and knowledge to share.  

Since the Forums are available to members only, login is required for access. Currently, two forums have been established — which includes one dedicated to COVID-19 and one dedicated to general topics

Access to the Forums is through the TONL website at https://www.texasnurse.org/page/forums.

Current Forum Posts

Practice/Academic Partnerships to Assist Nursing Workforce

 National nursing leadership organizations inclusive of AONL, ANA, NLN coauthored a policy brief encouraging academic-practice partnerships to assist the nursing workforce during the COVID-19 crisis.

One of the recommendations related to nursing students as "employed by the facility on a full- or part-time basis working in the role of a student nurse for compensation and, in conjunction with the student’s nursing education program, would receive academic credit toward meeting clinical requirements."

Has anyone partnered with academic organizations to try this or any type of enhanced or innovative roles of students to support care of patients as well as clinical experiences of students? 

Staffing Model — Use of Extenders

Staffing is a challenge during this pandemic, and different staffing models have been used. What has worked successful for your facility? Has anyone used nurse extenders (nurses who haven’t been at the bedside in a several years) successfully where nursing staff is happy and the extenders feel fully utilized?