Virginia Nursing Workforce Center

Most states establish Nursing Workforce Centers to address nursing shortages and workforce challenges. These centers use state-based, data-driven strategies for workforce planning to address challenges including a) production issues like shortages of faculty, clinical instructors, and preceptors, b) recruitment and retention concerns such as work place conditions and job satisfaction, and c) distribution challenges related to geographic location and work settings (NursingWorkforceCenters.org, 2025).

In 2023, the Washington Center for Nursing provided data to convince legislators to fund a Clinical Placement Initiative to improve the clinical placement process across Washington. The Georgia Center for Nursing Excellence hosts an interactive nursing workforce dashboard that highlights supply, demand, demographic and labor statistics. The Maryland Nursing Workforce Center serves as a hub of nursing innovation in education, professional development, practice, and research. Additionally, the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing developed a Nurse Educator Apprenticeship program to address the faculty shortage.

Virginia’s nurses deserve a Nursing Workforce Center to implement innovative education and practice models that address the needs in the state through a coordinated and comprehensive approach. The notion of the center emerged from the Virginia Nursing Workforce Strategic Plan developed by nursing leaders and stakeholders across the state. Supported by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Health Equity, this stakeholder group (including representatives from the Virginia Nurses Association, the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the Virginia Board of Nursing, among others) met throughout 2023 and 2024 to identify practice, education, and regulatory challenges facing the nursing workforce and outlined a vision to address these challenges. Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico sponsored legislation, HB 1903, with budget allocations in Governor Youngkin’s budget proposal to create a Nursing Workforce Center within the Virginia Healthcare Workforce Development Authority during the 2025 legislative session. The Center develops a statewide strategic plan to address educational capacity and workforce needs in partnership with stakeholders including nurses, industry representatives, and the Board of Nursing. In addition, the Center would be responsible to: 

• Obtain and analyze data to provide an accurate picture of Virginia’s nursing workforce to inform health workforce policy in the state. 
• Create a central repository for education, practice, and evidence-based best practices related to Virginia's nursing workforce. 
• Manage nursing workforce programs, including scholarships, loan repayment, and other initiatives to promote culture and belonging and reduce barriers to entering practice.
  
• Facilitate grant applications for federal, state and foundation funding for nursing innovative education and practice initiatives. 

As Virginia lacks a consistent and comprehensive lens on the nursing workforce, the commonwealth is constantly playing catch-up to our nursing shortage. This is detrimental to the health of Virginians across the state. To meet the healthcare needs of each resident, Virginia must move from a reactive to a proactive approach to address nursing’s educational capacity and workforce needs. As nurses, we all know that delays in establishing a Center contribute to both a sustained nursing workforce shortage and harm to the health of citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

During the 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session, VNA identified a legislator to sponsor legislation that would establish a Nursing Workforce Center in Virginia. The proposed legislation, HB 1903, successfully passed through the Health and Human Services committee unanimously, affirming the importance of establishing a Center. Unfortunately, the proposed legislation did not move forward in the appropriations subcommittee with approved funding for this legislative session and thus failed to pass out of the General Assembly.

We ask for the support and voices of all nurses to inform policymakers of the need for action in the 2026 General Assembly session to establish a Nursing Workforce Center.
Please share the information on this webpage with others, including your nursing and healthcare peers as well as your legislators. Be sure to sign up for VNA's free Action Alerts to receive real-time updates on nursing and healthcare legislation - we'll continue to keep you updated on the status of establishing a Nursing Workforce Center in Virginia!

• One Sheet | A short summary of information on the importance of establishing a Statewide Clinical Instructor Academy.
  View handout
  
  
• One Sheet | A short summary of information on the importance of establishing a Nursing Workforce Center.
  View handout
  
  
• Article | Share the article written by VNA Commissioner on Nursing Education Dr. Terri Gaffney, PhD, MPA, RN, CNE on the importance of establishing a Nursing Workforce Center in Virginia.
  View article
  
  
• Bill Summary | Explore the bill summary of HB1903, introduced during the 2025 General Assembly Session, created by the Virginia Health Workforce Authority.
  View summary
  
  
• HB 1903 Public Testimony Video | View the recording of VNA Board members, nurse advocates, and other affiliated organizations testifying on behalf of HB 1903 during the 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session.
  View testimony video
  
  
• Virginia Health Workforce Authority Website | The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Commonwealth of Virginia has a skilled and robust healthcare workforce. The VHWDA conducts research to identify gaps and needs in the workforce, collaborates with educational institutions to create programs tailored to these needs, and partners with various stakeholders to implement solutions. By fostering strategic collaborations and implementing solution-focused initiatives, VHWDA aims to ensure Virginians receive quality healthcare through a stable healthcare workforce.
  visit website
  

Be sure to sign up for VNA's free Action Alerts to receive real-time updates on nursing and healthcare legislation. We'll continue to keep you updated on the status of establishing a Nursing Workforce Center in Virginia, including sending you opportunities to send your legislators a pre-filled customizable message in support!

• Bill Summary | Explore the bill summary of HB1903, introduced during the 2025 General Assembly Session, created by the Virginia Health Workforce Authority.
  View summary
  
  
• Virginia Health Workforce Authority Website | The Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Commonwealth of Virginia has a skilled and robust healthcare workforce. The VHWDA conducts research to identify gaps and needs in the workforce, collaborates with educational institutions to create programs tailored to these needs, and partners with various stakeholders to implement solutions. By fostering strategic collaborations and implementing solution-focused initiatives, VHWDA aims to ensure Virginians receive quality healthcare through a stable healthcare workforce.
  visit website

If you have questions about establishing a Nursing Workforce Center in Virginia, please reach out to VNA's Communications & Advocacy Manager, Elle Buck, at ebuck@virginianurses.com.