The RENEW
Initiative
Addressing Oregon's Nursing Demand with the RENEW Initiative
Retaining and Elevating the Nurse Education Workforce (RENEW) is a statewide initiative developed and managed by the Oregon Center for Nursing. The program is funded by a $5 million investment in the nurse educator workforce made possible by House Bill 3396, passed by the Oregon State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek in 2023.
Oregon faces a critical demand for registered nurses, exacerbated by unfilled nurse educator roles and high attrition rates. The Retaining and Elevating the Nurse Educator Workforce initiative aims to:
- Enhance Faculty Retention: Conduct interviews, analyze data, and implement retention projects.
- Improve Faculty Recruitment: Interview stakeholders, develop strategies, and support recruitment projects.
- Maximize Impact: Disseminate findings through reports, webinars, and presentations.
The Oregon Center for Nursing works closely with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to distribute allocated funding; RENEW project funds were granted as part of a larger $25 million legislative funding package received by ONA.
Contact: For questions or more information about RENEW, contact OCN Program Director Dawne Schoenthal or click here to use our contact form.
An Overview of RENEW Programming
RENEW is a statewide, multi-year initiative (2024-2028) designed to bolster Oregon’s nursing pipeline to meet industry need, as well as generate impactful insight and sustainable change within our statewide nursing workforce. With initial contracting and funding finalized in June 2024, the Oregon Center for Nursing will roll out a multi-faceted approach that includes research, grant funding, and more.
Statewide Research and Listening Tour
The program supports critical research and a statewide listening tour with Oregon’s public nursing schools in 2024-2025.
Grants to Enhance Nurse Education Workforce
RENEW includes $3 million in grant funding dedicated to individual projects at public nursing education programs in Oregon.
Evidence-Based Insights from Partner Schools
Grant-funded projects allow for real-world testing of solutions to recruit and retain Oregon’s nursing faculty and instructors.
Knowledge Sharing and Resource Development
Best practices developed through the program will be made available for free to the wider Oregon community through webinars and more.
More About the RENEW Initiative
Funding Allocation $5 million awarded to OCN, with $3 million dedicated to individual projects at Oregon public nursing education programs. The remaining $2 million covers administrative costs through 2028. It also covers contracting with a DEI consultant and reserving funds for potential statewide projects.
Expected Outcomes
- Reduce faculty turnover rates by 5%.
- Decrease vacancy rates among nurse educators by 5%.
- Achieve long-term sustainability in Oregon’s nursing education.