Winchester, VA, July 8, 2025 — One of 20 Recipients Nationwide awarded an AARP/AACN Grant to Improve RN Recruitment and Retention Rates, Foster Healthier Work Environments
Blue Ridge Care is one of 20 organizations selected to receive a 2025 Nursing Innovation Fund award. AARP and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN Critical-Care) have awarded over $355,000 for projects offering innovative and replicable solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce by creating and sustaining healthy work environments and improving recruitment and retention rates of registered nurses.
Strengthening the nursing workforce and sustaining healthy work environments are crucial to addressing a shortage that has already resulted in the loss of 100,000 registered nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, per a 2023 National Council of State Boards of Nursing report. Another 600,000 nurses have reported intent to leave the workforce by 2027, according to the same report, raising significant concerns for our nation’s health care system. Creating healthy work environments is essential for recruiting and retaining a strong nursing workforce. Nurses cannot optimally contribute to care delivery across the continuum without healthy work environments. Healthy work environments reduce stress, enhance overall job satisfaction, and foster a sense of belonging for patients, families, and health care team members.
Establishing a Healthy Work Environment for Blue Ridge Care Hospice RNs is a forward-looking initiative created in 2025 to strengthen the recruitment and retention of registered nurses. Funded through a national grant, the project will support the development of a clinical ladder, improve documentation and precepting processes, and introduce supportive enrichment workshops for RNs. In collaboration with Laurel Ridge Community College and Shenandoah University, the initiative engages current and future hospice nurses, equipping them with tools to thrive in a compassionate, high-quality care environment. This work is rooted in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, serving patients and families through Blue Ridge Care Hospice’s home- and community-based programs.
“At Blue Ridge Care, we believe that healthy work environments are foundational to the quality of care we provide,” said Altonia Garrett, MBA, MHA, RN, chief operating officer of Blue Ridge Care. “This grant affirms our commitment to investing in our hospice nurses—supporting their growth, development, and wellbeing. As the only advanced illness care and hospice organization selected among 20 awardees nationwide, we are honored to stand with leading organizations advancing solutions that strengthen the nursing workforce and ensure exceptional, compassionate care for our communities.”
“Nurses play a critical role in protecting the health of our nation, but they need healthy work environments to effectively deliver care,” said Alan Weil, senior vice president, public policy and director of AARP Public Policy Institute. “AARP is proud to provide ongoing support to ensure a strong nursing workforce across all care settings where nurses practice.”
“Nurses represent the largest segment of the health care workforce, which positions them as essential catalysts for addressing health care challenges while driving innovation and transformation in the field,” said Vicki Good, DNP, RN, CENP, CPPS, AACN chief clinical officer. “Creating supportive healthy work environments isn’t just beneficial for nurses, it creates a ripple effect that can improve patient outcomes and strengthen family experiences.”
The 20 funded projects are from Arkansas, California, Colorado the District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
AARP administers the award program.
Learn about the other projects: https://campaignforaction.org/our-network/grantee-and-award-programs/the-nursing-innovations-fund/2025-nursing-innovations-fund/
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, with more than 130,000 members and nearly 200 chapters in the United States. To achieve its vision of a health care system driven by the needs of patients and families, where nurses make their optimal contribution, AACN’s advocacy priority is to establish and sustain healthy work environments that support nursing excellence.
Blue Ridge Care is an integrated, not-for-profit healthcare system that delivers compassionate, high-quality care across a healthcare system of non-acute services, including hospice, serious illness care, home-based care through its Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at Blue Ridge Independence at Home, grief and bereavement support, and community thrift shops. As a teaching organization, Blue Ridge Care is dedicated to advancing the education and training of healthcare professionals and caregivers, while reimagining care to address the medical and holistic needs of aging individuals and those with chronic, serious, and terminal illnesses.
