Connie R. Curran, EdD, RN, FAAN, is founder, president, and chief executive officer of CurranCare, a rapidly growing national management services organization with a mission to change the way healthcare is delivered. During her career, Dr. Curran has held a variety of positions, including national director of patient care services at APM, Inc., Chicago, and vice president of the American Hospital Association, Chicago. A participant in the Harvard Business School program for company owners and presidents, Dr. Curran also serves as a director for MacNeal Hospital and for the Allegiance Corporation. Dr. Curran has more than 100 publications and several research programs to her credit; most recently, she co-authored books on hospital-physician integration, hospital redesign, and optimized home care integration. She is also currently editor of Nursing Economic$.

Click on a link below or scroll down to read the questions posted for Dr. Curran as well as her responses:

• Foreign nurse recruitment
• Congressional report
• Where to find the report
• Home and hospice care

sheets - 10:50am Jul 17, 2001
A number of hospitals in the states are seeking to hire nurses in foreign countries such as England and the Philippines. Is this a viable strategy to help curb the nursing shortage? Are there any "red flags" such hospitals should be aware of before they recruit foreign nurses?

1. Curran's response - 08:26am Jul 18, 2001 (#1 of 1)
   This nursing shortage is international in many respects, i.e. Britain, Canada, and the Phillippines are all reporting shortages. There are some foreign agencies promising a supply of available nurses, but I would check their references very carefully. I would call several US hospitals that have used their services. I would also have provisions about the nurse's ability to pass the licensing exam. Many foreign nurses are not able to pass the exam, and thus are of little value in our hospitals. Good luck!

Ritzman - 09:53pm Jul 7, 2001
Do you have some thoughts on the recent report from Congress that there really is no nursing shortage? Do you know of some resources that provide some innovative ideas to manage the present shortage?

1. Curran's response - 08:31am Jul 18, 2001 (#1 of 1)
   There have been some skeptics regarding the nursing shortage, yet Washington is attempting to pass legislation to increase nursing education funds, ease immigration, etc. The American Hospital Association reports that on average, 10% of the budgeted nursing positions in our country's hospitals are vacant. The time it takes to recruit, especially OR, ER, and Critical Care nurses is now longer than three months. Enrollments in Schools of Nursing have dropped for the past six years. I have no doubt there is a shortage of nurses for acute care, and long term care especially. If you have specific areas of concern regarding recruitment and retention, I will gladly address them. Good luck!

goetz - 01:56pm Jul 18, 2001
Can you please tell me where I can find the Congressional report being referenced? I have been unable to locate it on the web.

1. st-onge - 02:05pm Jul 23, 2001 (#1 of 2)
   I am Canadian ...there is a nursing shortage in our country also. I am looking for the report of the Congress of the United States on this subject indicating that there is no nursing shortage ...where may I get that report? ...Guy St-Onge
2. 1. Wyrsch - 02:09pm Jul 23, 2001 (#2 of 2)
      There are several reports that have addressed the nursing shortage. The GAO (www.gao.gov) and Congressional Research Service (www.crs.gov) are places you can search for the reports by entering keywords (nursing). You can also find the bills that address the nursing shortage at the Thomas Locator (thomas.loc.gov), again using the keywords as the search criteria.

doyle - 12:00pm Jul 25, 2001
Dr. Curran, In my experience the nursing shortage has also impacted the Home Health and Hospice Industry. Can you share you experience or thoughts about recruitment and retention in Home Care and any potential solutions? Also, can you comment on what is happening nationally with Academic Health Systems and Home Care Programs? Thanks.

1. Curran's response - 12:20pm Jul 26, 2001 (#1 of 1)
   Greetings! We in home health are impacted by the shortage of available nurses, and other good staff. One of home care's great assets is flexibility. So I would try to emphasize that and the amount of professional autonomy that exists in home care. We have been successful in building a "Hospital-to Home" program, where we worked with hospital staff to do home visits, we paid them by the visit. We found that many hospital staff nurses work three 12 hour shifts, and are very willing to work in home care on their free days. I hope this is helpful. Let me know if I can be of assistance.