By Amy Curtis | August 2026

In this issue:  Fall Semester Begins, Research Committee Opportunities, Kansas 4M Webinar Series.

This newsletter is 1,291 words long, about a 4.5-minute read.

Welcome to Class, Nursing Students!

Kansas schools are welcoming students to class for the new academic year. And we’d like to highlight one of the bright spots in the nursing education pipeline: New student admissions.

According to the State of Nursing Education in Kansas report, new student admissions to Kansas entry-level nursing education programs (BSN, ADN, and PN) increased across all program types between 2024 and 2025..

These increases in new student admissions may contribute to positive growth in total enrollment (new and returning students) and program completions over time.

To read more, download your copy of the report.

Research Committee Meeting and Opportunities

Watch a recording of the August meeting featuring Allyn Miller, Ph.D., RN, CRNA, who presented her dissertation project, "Enhancing Usability of State-Level Nursing Workforce Dashboards: A Multi-Perspective Study.”

Committee Member Presentations: The research committee would like to invite speakers who are interested in presenting their projects, research, or other work during our committee meetings. If you are interested, please complete this short survey. Also, please forward the survey link to friends and colleagues who may be interested. 

Special Interest Groups: The research committee would like to coordinate Special Interest Groups (SIGs) around three topics:

We welcome participation from anyone interested in nursing workforce research or projects who wishes to collaborate with researchers, educators, and other stakeholders in Kansas. Please complete this short survey to indicate which group(s) you would like to join. Also, please forward the survey link to friends and colleagues who may be interested in the SIGs.

Once we receive your preferences, we will coordinate the initial meetings for each group. The activities and goals of each SIG will be determined by the members and based on what they would like to accomplish. For example, a group might: Collaborate on a research project; Review recent literature and articles, similar to a journal club; Collaborate on manuscripts or other scholarly work; Discuss current issues related to the group’s topic; or Identify other projects or activities of interest to the group.

We are excited to see how these groups develop based on the interests and ideas of their members.

Research Committee Meeting Schedule: In our previous committee survey, we asked members how frequently they would prefer to meet. The majority of respondents indicated a preference to meet every two months. Based on that feedback, we are planning to move to a bimonthly meeting schedule. As a result, we will not meet in September, and our next committee meeting will be on October 29, 2026, at 10 am CT.

Led by Shin Hye Park, PhD, RN, the Research Committee facilitates and promotes collaborative nurse research activities across the state. The committee's goal is to leverage research talent to better serve the healthcare community of Kansas, advance the field of nursing and healthcare, and strengthen the nursing workforce in Kansas.

Sign up here to receive the Research Committee meeting link. Please send this link to colleagues who may also wish to attend.

Kansas 4M Webinar Series: A Framework for Excellence in Age Friendly Care

Join the Kansas 4M for a six-session interprofessional webinar series designed for health professions faculty and clinical preceptors that builds practical knowledge and teaching strategies around the Age-Friendly 4M's framework: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.

Participants will learn about helpful tools and explore best practices to support teaching age-friendly approaches across health professions.

This is a free continuing education series. Registration is required for each individual session you wish to attend. Participants may attend at no cost or choose to pay $5 per session to receive a Certificate of Attendance or Continuing Education credit. All sessions are from noon to 1p.m.

Sessions* include: 

*Session titles and details are subject to refinement

Kansas 4M Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $5 million with funding from 07/01/2024 through 06/30/2029. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information visit HRSA.gov.

Collaboration is Key!

Hello colleagues and friends,

This month I'd like to highlight an experience and ongoing collaboration with the Kansas Adult Care Executives (KACE) as a good example why collaboration is one of the primary pillars of the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center (KNWC).

The KNWC first found KACE when we participated in the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), a HRSA grant that supports partnerships between schools of nursing and nursing homes to integrate evidence-based age-friendly didactic content and clinical care learning opportunities for the care of older adults who reside in nursing homes. The overall GWEP goal is to increase the number of nurses who choose to practice in nursing homes after graduation.

KACE is the association dedicated to serving the unique needs of the Adult Care Executive. It looks at long-term care from the administrator’s perspective, and provides education, skills and information. They invest in nurses working and leading in aging services by providing CE contact hours for RNs and LPNs, as well as the multidisciplinary care team. The highlight of their efforts occurs during a three-day statewide convention each summer in Wichita.

Two and a half years ago the KNWC and KACE hadn’t yet found each other... But when we did, we began a relationship that I believe will lead to the mutual goal of the GWEP.

Our collaboration increases the interactions between schools and facilities utilizing shared models of care and, ultimately, a statewide plan to sustain, measure, report and contribute to positive work experiences and resident outcomes. 

I have been honored to represent the KNWC on the program in major sessions during the last two KACE conventions, including last week’s 54th convention. There were 180 in-person registrants and 75 virtual attendees. Soon, we will begin planning the 2027 GWEP forum with educators and administrators.

KACE is just one example of finding new collaborations and broadening our potential to meet important mutual goals, learn from one another and drive progress.

As the spring and summer meetings, conventions and convenings wind down, I would like to thank all who have been exemplary collaborators with the KNWC. 

There are many examples—care to share your stories?

Warmly,

—Barbara MacArthur, MN, RN, FAAN 

Director, Kansas Nursing Workforce Center

p.s. KNWC, KACE, GWEP… eeek! Apologies for all the abbreviations and acronyms! 😬

What We’re Reading

In Case You Missed It!

KansasNursingSchools.com helps potential students explore nursing education options at all schools with nursing programs in Kansas.

Download the State of Nursing Education in Kansas report.

Download the State of Nursing in Kansas, volume 2. This edition tracks trending data from 2015 to 2025.

Have Kansas Nursing Workforce news, solutions, or kudos you’d like us to share?
Email nursingwill@kumc.edu

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