Nurses comprise the largest percentage of the nation’s health care workforce, and demand for nurses is greater than ever. Unfortunately, the RN Work Project, a 10-year panel study of new graduate nurses, found that 17.5 percent leave their first nursing jobs within the first year.
At St. Joseph Hospital, we give members of our nursing family access to the training and ongoing professional development opportunities they need, along with the latest clinical best practices and the skills they need to be successful as both caregivers and leaders within our organization and community.
Registered Nurse Professional Recognition for Excellence Program (PREP)
PREP provides Registered Nurses who actively involved in direct clinical patient care with the opportunity for advancement and promotion. In addition to supporting nurse retention and recruiting, PREP program objectives include:
- Improving the quality of patient care and outcomes
- Providing advancement opportunities for nurses who demonstrate clinical expertise, scholarship, leadership and improvement in practice, outcomes and patient experience.
- Increasing opportunities for autonomy and accountability while remaining in a direct patient care role.
Vizient Nurse Residency Program
The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program — one of the first of its kind — helps transition new nurse residents into their clinical roles and build their confidence. This program includes an evidence-based curriculum and final project, as well as interactive exercises. It is designed to help decrease the nurse turnover rate, improve decision-making skills, enhance clinical nursing leadership practices and promote the incorporation of research-based evidence into practice. Participants benefit from access to benchmarking data, an up-to-date curriculum and the opportunity to network with peers across the country.
The program benefits nurse residents by helping them learn how to:
- Use effective decision-making skills
- Provide clinical nursing leadership when administering care
- Incorporate research-based evidence into practice
- Strengthen their professional commitment to nursing
- Formulate an individual development plan
An integral component of the Nurse Residency Program is the evidence-based practice project (EBPP). All residents are required to complete an EBPP, which supports the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. The projects are presented at the end of the residency and can be submitted as poster or podium presentations at the NRP Annual Meeting.
Additional Ways We Support Our Nurses
Compensation and Benefits:
Our organization provides highly competitive salaries that are market-based and experience rated. In addition, we offer a comprehensive and flexible benefits program. It is designed to provide you and your family valuable resources to protect and enhance your health and financial security and to help balance your work and personal lives.
Financial Support for Educational Advancement:
Members of our nursing team also have access to financial assistance that can help make taking the next step in their education and professional growth easier and more manageable financially.
Support to Achieve Work/Life Balance:
We believe in promoting a healthy and effective balance between your work and life responsibilities. We are proud to offer our employees additional benefits like wellness programs, earned time off, extended sick leave, leaves of absence, family and medical leave and professional development and education opportunities.