Reflection on Achievements of the KRISP Project

As we enter the fifth year and evaluation phase of the KRISP project enters, we thought it appropriate to reflect on our major accomplishments. We’ve had four very exciting years of interventions aimed at building the capacity of public health nurses (PHNs) in six county health departments.  We started KRISP at the same time that the H1N1 outbreak began, and then watched as the effects of the economic downturn rippled through the LHDs.  Despite the loss of nearly 50% of positions in the LHDs, the nursing staff was largely spared and rose to the occasion by “doing more with less” as they said.

In summary, the KRISP project team:

• Developed and distributed executive summaries of
  • Best practices for recruitment and retention of nurses
  • Benchmarked assessment of PHN competencies for each of the six LHDs
  • Access to scientific literature by PHNs
• Provided over 25 on-site trainings on the topic of quality improvement, evidence-based practice, grantsmanship, and public health nursing practice
• Provided individualized consultation to quality improvement groups working in each of the LHDs
• Studied PHN job descriptions and assessed their congruence with ANA’s PHN Scope and Standards
• Compared the wages and benefits offered to RNs by LHDs and hospitals in 6 counties
• Supported the Directors of Nursing as they dealt with the aftermath of layoffs and loss of positions

The visibility of the KRISP project gave us opportunities to raise the level of awareness about the importance of PHNs in enhancing community health promotion and prevention services. Overall, we have seen the participating LHDs become more visible in their communities through leadership and innovation. As the evaluation phase progresses, we will continue to post updates on our findings.