Hear more about how this health system is tackling staffing and nurse education challenges, according to their nurse leaders.
The nursing industry is always changing. With the introduction of new technologies, new generational needs and values, and innovative ideas about recruitment and retention, it seems like there are always new disruptors and challenges that CNOs have to face.
Dr. Kathy Boyle, chief nursing officer at Denver Health, and associate CNO, Dr. Natalie Nicholson, have been implementing new programs over the last several years that tackle these disruptors and improve the overall wellbeing and environment for their nurses.
To address staffing concerns, Denver Health has started offering a hybrid work model for nurse leaders, and nurse apprentice programs to focus on recruitment and retention.
"Our nurse leaders can work from home a day a month, or every two weeks," Boyle said. "We are now researching this intervention through first qualitative research to see the impact on our nurse leaders, and then now we're studying the impact on staff."
"[The nurse apprentice program] has been a really big support not only to the staff," Nicholson said, "but it has created a pipeline to getting student nurses within the Denver Health walls."
To boost nursing education, the health system has placed over 2000 clinical placements since the start of their longitudinal clinical placement program, Boyle explained, with the intent to continue key partnerships with nursing schools and to support students in their careers and entry to practice.
Nicholson added that Denver Health also has programs that encourage high school students to come into the medical field and help them continue their nursing education and careers.
"In the end, I think what we are encouraging here with our nursing profession is that continuous learning," Nicholson said, "we should never stop learning and we want to support and encourage and grow our nurses in the way that they would like."
Listen to this week's episode of the HealthLeaders Podcast to hear more on how Boyle and Nicholson plan to keep tackling disruptors and improving the experience of their nursing workforce.
G Hatfield is the CNO editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Denver Health offers a hybrid work model for nurse leaders as well as nurse apprenticeship programs.
The health system is partnering with nursing colleges and encouraging high school students to pursue careers in nursing.