Guthrie Team Participates in Nurse Ambassador Advocacy Day at the Pennsylvania Capitol

Leaders and caregivers from The Guthrie Clinic joined healthcare professionals from across the Commonwealth earlier this week for Nurse Ambassador Advocacy Day, an event dedicated to strengthening Pennsylvania’s healthcare workforce and advancing policies that support nurses and frontline caregivers.

The event brought together nurses, hospital leaders and policymakers to discuss the critical role nurses play in delivering high-quality care and to highlight the challenges facing the healthcare workforce across Pennsylvania. Participants shared perspectives on workforce development, education pathways, workplace safety and the importance of investing in the next generation of nurses.

Pennsylvania hospitals continue to face significant staffing challenges. According to the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, hospitals currently experience an average 19 percent vacancy rate for registered nurses and more than 17 percent for nursing support staff, with even higher vacancy rates in rural communities. Over the next decade, the Commonwealth will need nearly 9,000 additional registered nurses each year and more than 11,000 nursing assistants annually to meet growing demand for care.

For Guthrie, participating in advocacy efforts like Nurse Ambassador Advocacy Day is an important opportunity to share the realities facing health systems and the innovative approaches being used to recruit, retain, and support nurses.

“Strong nursing teams are the backbone of patient care,” said Debra Raupers, Guthrie Chief Nurse Executive. “At Guthrie, we are proud of the nurses who serve our communities every day. Events like Nurse Ambassador Advocacy Day allow us to work collaboratively with policymakers to ensure the healthcare workforce has the resources, training opportunities and support needed to care for patients today and into the future.”

Throughout the day, participants met with lawmakers and discussed solutions aimed at strengthening the healthcare workforce, including expanding nursing education programs, supporting scholarship and loan-forgiveness opportunities, improving workplace safety and creating more accessible pathways into healthcare careers.

Participation in Nurse Ambassador Advocacy Day reflects Guthrie’s ongoing commitment to partnering with leaders across Pennsylvania to support the healthcare workforce and strengthen the future of care for the communities it serves.