Posted: 12/5/2018
Nurses encouraged to advance their education, research
Registered nurses are the largest employed group in most healthcare systems and have a significant impact on patient health outcomes. Currently, Parkland Health & Hospital System is home to 4,131 nurses system-wide. Across the nation, the competitive demand for skilled nurses continues to grow. As part of its commitment to recruiting, training and retaining highly-qualified nurses, Parkland recently launched a new Center for Nursing Excellence.
“The Center’s mission is to provide our nurses with a wide range of opportunities and services to advance their education, professional development, skills and knowledge in research and integration of evidence based practice,” said Karen Watts, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Developing current and future nurses is essential for the continuation of positive patient outcomes and retention of skilled staff.”
The Center will provide a central meeting location for nursing activities where nurses can benefit from career coaching and leadership training; information about mentorship programs and national specialty certification; training in research design and implementation, manuscript and report writing; and more.
“The Center gives us a place to focus on our nursing skills and practice enhancement,” said Jomie Rillera, RN. “It’s also a place where we can connect with other nurses and learn about their experiences and journey.”
Beyond academic and professional growth, recognition can be a big incentive that may lead to higher morale, overall job satisfaction and nurse retention, Watts added.
“It gives me the feeling that I am valued in this organization,” Rillera agreed.
“When we have these programs, nurses are happy and we’re more likely to retain them or more likely to be able to recruit good nurses,” said Jakki Opollo, PhD, RN, MSN, MPH, NEA-BC, Director of Professional Practice & Nursing Research. “When you give meaningful recognition to nurses for asking questions and improving their practice, they feel autonomous, empowered, and they feel their voices are heard.”
Watts concurred. “We want to recruit and keep the very best nurses. We also want to be trailblazers when it comes to showcasing Parkland’s excellence of nursing practice,” she said.
In June, Parkland achieved a four-year Pathway to Excellence designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. The Pathway to Excellence designation identifies the elements of inter-professional work environments where nurses can flourish and feel empowered. The designation substantiates nursing job satisfaction at Parkland and identifies it as one of the best places to work.
“Nurses at Parkland have a commitment to nursing excellence and a passion for serving the diverse patient population of Dallas County,” said Lauren Tuohy, RN, Associate Unit Manager at the Rees-Jones Trauma Center at Parkland. “The Center for Nursing Excellence will help nurses advance the profession to continue to provide the highest quality and safest patient care possible.”
In addition, Parkland nursing staff is working to achieve Magnet status. Magnet is an award given by the ANCC to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing.
“The Pathway to Excellence designation, the Center for Nursing Excellence and our journey to achieve Magnet status symbolize the commitment of the health system to advance professional nursing practice which is essential for short and long term nurse and patient success,” said Donna Richardson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Nursing Officer.
“Parkland nurses are exceptional and we want them to live up to their fullest potential,” Dr. Opollo said. “The Parkland Center for Nursing Excellence will help us achieve that target.”
A record number of registered nurses at Parkland – a total of 45 – were named winners of the 2017 D Magazine Excellence in Nursing Awards, which are designed to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of healthcare. Fifteen registered nurses at Parkland were among those honored as 2018 Dallas/Fort Worth Great 100 Nurses.
“I am so proud to be a Parkland nurse,” Tuohy said.
The Parkland Center for Nursing Excellence is located on the second floor of Parkland Memorial Hospital, 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas. The Center is open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To learn more about how you can become a member of Parkland’s team, please visit www.parklandcareers.com. For more information about Parkland services, please visit www.parklandhospital.com.