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Nursing Associations Partner with CVS Health

Two minority nursing associations have partnered with CVS Health to better serve their members and their communities.

CVS Health has partnered with the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) in order to diversify its workforce, better serve minority populations, and better reflect those communities it serves.

“At CVS Health, we recognize the strong connection between a culturally diverse nursing workforce and the ability to provide quality, culturally competent patient care,” CVS Health’s Vice President, Workforce Strategies, and Chief Diversity Officer David Casey said in a statement. “We value the multicultural communities, customers, and patients we serve, and we look forward to working closely with NBNA and NAHN as we continue to help bridge the current nursing shortage in the United States and enhance access to quality care to underserved populations.”

The pharmacy innovation company—in cooperation with the two nursing associations—will increase the internships and scholarships available to multicultural candidates as well as set up education, engagement, and development programs to ensure the hiring of these individuals.

The partnership’s programs will help CVS hire a more diversified workforce, but both associations will also gain the support they need to serve their respective communities.

“CVS Health and NBNA share the common goal of supporting the development of African American nurses, which is reflective of our nation’s diversity,” NBNA President Eric Williams said. “This new partnership will allow our two organizations to work collaboratively to increase access to care and improve the health of the communities we serve.”

NAHN, which has taken CVS Health on as a corporate sponsor, is looking forward to the ways the company will help the association further connect Latino communities with healthcare, NAHN Executive Director Celia Besore, CAE, said in an interview with Associations Now.

“They’re committed to improve the health of underrepresented minorities, and that’s why they also partnered with the National Black Nurses Association,” she said. “Working with us is part of their commitment to truly work with people who understand what are the issues, what are the best practices that actually work with people that are working with these populations all the time and that have an affinity to these populations.”

Besore explained that people in minority populations receive more effective care from caretakers who speak the local language and understand the culture. The patients also are more likely to take their medications, follow up on their care, and heal quicker.

To connect underinsured populations with preventive care, NAHN’s nurse members volunteer in Latino communities by putting on health fairs and conducting screenings and checkups. Besore hopes CVS will eventually be a partner and sponsor for these events.

While CVS will be a resource for NAHN to carry out its mission to serve underrepresented communities, Besore noted the partnership will also provide more job and career advancement opportunities to its members.

“We’re very excited because [CVS Health] can provide our community with a lot of resources; we can partner so we can provide our understanding of what the community needs,” she said. “Also obviously some of our members may eventually decide to work for them.”

(iStock/Thinkstock)

Alex Beall

By Alex Beall

Alex Beall is an associate editor for Associations Now with a masters in journalism and a penchant for Instagram. MORE

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