Webinar: Nursing in the Americas: evidence and strategies for a sustainable workforce
Date: 13 May 2025
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 PM (EDT)
Interpretation in English, Portuguese, and Spanish
Register here
Background
In the context of International Nurses Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) proposes that its Member States engage in discussions on the use of evidence and information in strategic actions to strengthen nursing and ensure a sustainable workforce for the Region of the Americas.
The Region has approximately 7.4 million nursing personnel. However, challenges persist in terms of inequity in the distribution and availability of these workers, differences in their education, a lack of opportunities for professional development and leadership positions, inadequate working conditions, low adoption of advanced practice roles, and high migration rates. These factors limit the capacity of the nursing workforce to respond to current and future health system challenges, while contributing to low retention in the labor market and making the profession less attractive to new generations.
To address these challenges, the PAHO Policy on the Health Workforce 2030: Strengthening Human Resources for Health to Achieve Resilient Health Systems provides Member States with strategic guidelines to strengthen governance, develop and consolidate regulatory mechanisms, strengthen the development of interprofessional teams, enhance capacity building, and promote decent working conditions, with physical and mental protection for health workers.
In this context, and recognizing the fundamental role of nurses, International Nurses Day activities seek to foster spaces for dialogue, exchange knowledge, and promote key actions to enhance nursing in the Americas in four areas:
- Use of evidence and information in the development and implementation of health policies
- Fostering the implementation of interprofessional health teams
- Increasing the attractiveness of the profession and retention of nurses
- Ensuring adequate working conditions
Objective
To foster discussion on the use of evidence and information in strategic actions to strengthen nursing, and to share successful initiatives aimed at ensuring a sustainable workforce for the Region of the Americas.
Target audience
Representatives of ministries of health and education, universities, PAHO/WHO collaborating centers, and nursing associations, as well as government nurses and other nursing personnel, students, PAHO staff at headquarters and country offices, and other interested parties.
Agenda
Moderator: Karen Gladbach
Opening remarks
- Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director, PAHO
Strategies and initiatives to strengthen nursing
- Sandra Guadalupe Moya Sánchez, Director of Nursing, Secretariat of Health, Mexico
- Felipe Proenço, Secretary of Health Workforce Management and Education, Ministry of Health, Brazil
Panel discussion: The situation of nursing: evidence and strategies for a sustainable workforce
Moderator: E. Benjamín Puertas, Unit Chief, Human Resources for Health, PAHO
- Situation of nursing in the Region of the Americas
- Bruna Moreno, International Consultant, PAHO
- The strategic role of government chief nursing officers
- Diana Mason, International Council of Nurse
Launch of the Virtual Course "Integrating Simulation and Technology in Nursing and Midwifery Education"
Closing remarks
- James Fitzgerald, Director, Department of Health Systems and Services, PAHO