A version of the below article appeared in This Week in HR Policy, on February 19, 2016, a weekly newsletter for Chief Human Resource Officers from the HR Policy Association.

In 2002, amidst a severe nursing shortage that challenged U.S. hospital and healthcare customers, Johnson & Johnson took a leadership role and launched its Campaign for Nursing's Future. Today, the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future is a multi-year, $50 million initiative designed to enhance the image of the nursing profession, recruit new nurses and nurse faculty, and help retain nurses currently in the profession.

The Campaign offers numerous elements to achieve its objectives: scholarships, grants and fundraising events; nurse educator initiatives; recruitment resources and collateral; national recognition programs; a monthly news digest and podcastseries; Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages; a comprehensive website; DVDs, posters, brochures and educational programs; and award-winning national television advertising.

"This is an exceptional example of Johnson & Johnson's commitment to caring for the world and enhancing the communities in which we live and work," said Peter Fasolo, Worldwide Vice President, Human Resources at Johnson & Johnson. "It also helps us attract and develop the talent that we need to solve the world's greatest unmet needs."

The Campaign has evolved over the years to include an additional focus of solving new issues such as the need for better access to healthcare, desire to expand the quantity and quality of the nursing workforce, and the need for more capacity within nursing schools. Fundraising events, which have raised an additional $19 million to date, combine Johnson & Johnson resources with local hospital and health systems in fundraising galas for nursing scholarships, grants, faculty fellowships, and program expansion grants for schools of nursing across the U.S.

In addition, much of the Campaign’s leadership within nursing stems from strong linkages and partnerships with key nursing organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National Student Nurses' Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing and National League for Nursing.

For more information about the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future and the nursing profession, visit: DiscoverNursing.com.