WOONSOCKET, R.I., Jan. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an
ongoing commitment to develop a diverse workforce that reflects the
patients and communities it serves, CVS Health today announced
strategic partnerships with two leading national organizations
whose mission is to advance the multicultural nursing populations
in the United States: the National
Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and the National Association of
Hispanic Nurses (NAHN).
Through these newly formed alliances, CVS Health, the nation's
largest pharmacy innovation company, will establish workforce
development programs and strategies that facilitate multicultural
talent acquisition to further develop the company's own diverse
nursing populations through education, training and colleague
engagement. With a unique continuum of health care products and
services, CVS Health supports a broad nursing workforce that
includes: Nurse Practitioners who see patients through the
company's MinuteClinic network; Nurse Patient Care Specialists who
serve the company's specialty patients; Pulmonary Arterial
Hypertension (PAH) Nurses who provide in-home education and infused
medication therapies; and Patient Education Nurses who deliver
disease education and case management to patients over the
phone.
Additionally, these partnerships will enable CVS Health to
increase the number of internships and scholarships that the
company extends to multicultural candidates.
"At CVS Health, we recognize the strong connection between a
culturally diverse nursing workforce and the ability to provide
quality, culturally competent patient care," said David Casey,
Vice President, Workforce Strategies, and Chief Diversity Officer
at CVS Health. "We value the multicultural communities, customers
and patients we serve and we look forward to working closely with
NBNA and NAHN, as we continue to help bridge the current nursing
shortage in the United States and
enhance access to quality care to underserved populations."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be more
than one million open positions for registered nurses across the
country by 2022. Moreover, while U.S. Census Bureau statistics show
that ethnic minority groups account for 37 percent of the U.S.
population, industry research shows that nurses from minority
backgrounds represent only 19 percent of the RN workforce, with
African-American and Hispanic nurses representing 6 percent and 3
percent, respectively.
"CVS Health and NBNA share the common goal of supporting the
development of African American nurses which is reflective of our
nation's diversity," said Eric J.
Williams, DNP, RN, CNE, President, NBNA. "This new
partnership will allow our two organizations to work
collaboratively to increase access to care and improve the health
of the communities we serve."
"We're grateful to CVS Health for partnering with NAHN to help
achieve our mission of improving the quality of health care for
Hispanic consumers," said Celia
Besore, Executive Director, NAHN. "We look forward to
working together to provide equal access to educational,
professional and economic opportunities for Hispanic nurses in our
country."
As one of the largest employers of pharmacists and nurse
practitioners, CVS Health is committed to helping advance the
education of talented students pursuing careers in the field.
The CVS Health Foundation has provided scholarships to pharmacy
students for many years and, in 2016, the Foundation will begin
awarding funding to nursing and physician assistants schools to
support the pipeline of much-needed nurse practitioners in local
communities across the country.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on
their path to better health. Through its more than 9,500 retail
pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading
pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70 million plan members, a
dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one
million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy
services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to
manage health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique
integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better
health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more
information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health
at https://www.cvshealth.com.
CONTACT:
Mary
Alfieri
1-401-770-9811
mary.alfieri@cvscaremark.com
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SOURCE CVS Health