"The more I understand what the challenges are, the more I can be an ally." — Caroline Njau, MBA, BSN-RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president of patient care services and CNO, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis The nursing shortage isn’t just about nurses leaving the profession: There's also been a significant disruption in the staffing pipeline as nursing schools turn away qualified applicants because of faculty shortages. To combat the nursing shortage at the nursing school level, hospitals and schools of nursing are partnering to find creative ways to bolster the number of students in programs. In this week's lead story, I spoke with Caroline Njau, MBA, BSN-RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer (CNO) of Children's Minnesota in Minneapolis, about how she is forging partnerships with the deans of her local colleges of nursing. | 