Prosser will lead work with stakeholders to address nursing workforce challenges in Mass.
ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School is pleased to welcome Jay Prosser, DNP, RN, CCRN-K, NE-BC, as the new executive director of the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability, part of a statewide effort to develop solutions to address the nursing shortage in Massachusetts.
Dr. Prosser has been working in health care for more than 20 years, serving most recently as chief nursing officer at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, where he led hospital recovery following a months-long nursing strike in 2021. He began his career as a critical care nurse and has also served as a practice administrator, nurse manager, service line director and assistant chief nursing officer.
In addition to working in hospital operations, Prosser served on the board of directors for the Alabama State Nurses Association and as the chair of the Commission on Professional Issues, where he led legislation making assault on a health care worker a class C felony in Alabama. He has also served as a member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Nursing Advisory Councils for several colleges and universities. Prosser has received a Florence Nightingale Nursing Award for exemplary nursing practice and is a published author. He attended Wallace State Community College in Alabama before attending the University of North Alabama to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. Prosser earned his doctorate in nursing practice at Troy University.
“Jay’s wide range of experiences in the nursing profession will ensure that he is successful in his role of executive director for the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability,” said Lisa M. Colombo, DNP, MHA, RN, executive vice chancellor at ForHealth Consulting. “His perspective will enhance our work with multiple stakeholders to confront pipeline and workforce challenges and develop actionable and innovative solutions that make a difference in Massachusetts.”
The Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability at ForHealth Consulting was created by the Massachusetts Healthcare Collaborative with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The council represents Massachusetts on the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers and comprises key stakeholders from more than 70 organizations. In partnership with state leaders, members collaborate with subject matter experts in the health care field to develop strategies to mitigate the current nursing workforce shortage. The council has supported the application of several grants for fellowship and apprenticeship programs and has cataloged nursing pipeline and education simulation centers across the state. Recently, members developed informational briefs on the status of nursing clinical placements and nursing faculty shortages. The state has requested recommendations from the council on ways to increase nursing school capacity and mitigate related faculty shortages. “We are thrilled about the appointment of Jay Prosser as executive director of the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability,” said Joanne Marqusee, assistant secretary for operational effectiveness at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “Addressing the significant workforce shortages that face the entire health and human services sector across the commonwealth is a priority for the Healey-Driscoll administration. Nursing is one of the most pressing needs and we value our partnership with the NCWS, especially to develop and help operationalize recommendations that will expand the pipeline of nurses. Jay’s background as a nursing leader and his skills in bringing together diverse stakeholders to come to an agreement on policies will be key to the ongoing success of the council.”
“Our continued collaboration to address health care labor gaps across the region is critical as we work toward employment equity and fulfill our strategy of preparing a skilled workforce for successful careers in high-demand sectors like health care,” said Jennifer James Price, undersecretary for workforce development at the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. “We are confident that the experience that Jay will bring to his new role as executive director of the NCWS will move several key initiatives forward.”
About ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School
ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School partners with purposeful organizations, including state Medicaid agencies and health and human services organizations, to improve the health care experience for all, making it more equitable, effective and accessible. As part of UMass Chan Medical School, ForHealth Consulting leverages its world-class expertise and decades of experience to develop innovative, actionable solutions that transform every aspect of the health and human services system—from payment and financing to clinical practice and information management. ForHealth Consulting believes in the power of a shared purpose to make health care better through collaboration.
About UMass Chan Medical School
UMass Chan Medical School, one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system, comprises the T.H. Chan School of Medicine; the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing; ForHealth Consulting; and MassBiologics, the only nonprofit, FDA-licensed manufacturer of vaccines, biologics and viral vector gene therapies in the United States. UMass Chan’s mission is to advance the health and wellness of our diverse communities throughout Massachusetts and across the world by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery and public service. In doing so, it has built a reputation as a world-class research institution and as a leader in primary care education, perennially ranked in the top 10 percent of medical schools for primary care by U.S. News and World Report. UMass Chan attracts more than $300 million annually in research funding, placing it among the top 50 medical schools in the nation. In 2021, the Medical School received a $175 million donation from The Morningside Foundation and was renamed UMass Chan Medical School.
About the Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability
The Nursing Council on Workforce Sustainability (NCWS) is a critical part of a statewide effort to tackle the growing nursing shortage in Massachusetts. The council was created by the Massachusetts Healthcare Collaborative Nursing Task Force with ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. ForHealth Consulting is leading the NCWS, bringing together key stakeholders from across Massachusetts who are focused on creating a diverse, collaborative, and robust statewide nursing workforce.