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Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Hospitals across the nation are struggling with a shortage of nurses and Springfield is no exception. As a result, local health care organizations are implementing measures to attract and retain nursing professionals in Central Illinois.
System Director of Talent Acquistion for Memorial Health Katie Beveridge said there definitely is a “supply and demand issue” in Springfield. Memorial Health, according to Beveridge, employs over 2,000 registered nurses within their system.
Both Hospital Sisters Health System and Memorial Health offer scholarships, tuition reimbursement plans, and career advancement opportunities all while carrying out programs to inspire the younger generation to pursue careers in health care.
Investment in Nursing Colleges and Scholarships
HSHS and Memorial Health both invest in nursing programs at area community colleges and universities and offer scholarships.
Memorial Health partners with nursing programs at Lincoln Land Community College, Richland Community College, Illinois College, University of Illinois Chicago at UIS and the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University.
“If we can increase the number of registered nurses within this area, that will help everyone and impact the community. The support helps those institutions find and hire additional professors and instructors or invest in their classrooms with the goal of getting more nursing students to graduation,” said Beveridge.
Likewise, HSHS partners with area nursing programs including St. John’s College of Nursing, LLCC and other surrounding community colleges and universities.
Alexis Williams, system director of professional development and clinical education for HSHS, said the organization offers scholarships through HSHS St. John’s Hospital and additional scholarships are made possible through donations to the HSHS Foundation.
“Some of our donors are passionate about nursing specifically. They may have been a nurse or touched by a nurse in some way. So, they want to support nursing students and further their career,” said HSHS Foundation Annual Gifts Officer Hannah Hahn.
Nurse internships, extern positions and nurse residency opportunities are also available to support new graduates as they transition from school into their nursing career.
Sparking interest and creating pathways to a career in health care
Memorial Health is working in District 186 schools engaging elementary, middle, and high school students in activities that raise awareness about careers in nursing and other health professions, according to Beveridge. “Many students without family in health care may be unaware of the diverse roles available.”
HSHS recently hosted another installment of its High School Boot Camp which gave 23 students the chance to see what a career in health care looks like from the inside. Students from 11 Central Illinois high schools and homeschooled teens shadowed health care workers for a day in units including the emergency department, pediatrics, and the intensive care unit at St. John’s Hospital. Some participants also got an up-close look at radiology, cath lab and central sterilizing.
Ella Wilcockson, a senior at Pleasant Plains High School, attended the Boot Camp and is eyeing a health care career working in the neonatal intensive care unit or labor and delivery. “I am taking this opportunity to see if health care is something that’s going to be interesting for me.”
Adrian Whyte, a senior at Sacred Heart-Griffin also attended. His mother works in the emergency department, and Whyte is considering a career as a physician assistant or nurse practitioner in the emergency department. Whyte said he attended to get an inside look at the ED. “My mom says you’re always seeing something different. The adrenaline too – I just love that.”
“We’re laser focused right now on how we can develop pathways, and our community is our greatest resource,” said Williams. “Our goal at HSHS is to really reach out into those different spaces across the community.”
Retaining Nurses
The two organizations also have an eye on retention. “We invest in development. Nurses want to continue with professional advancement and expand their knowledge. Memorial Health supports them as they pursue certification and helps with professional development,” said Beveridge.
Springfield Memorial Hospital is a Magnet Hospital which Beveridge says can be a draw for registered nurses (RN). According to the American Nurses Credentialing Center, magnet recognition means “education and development through every career stage, which leads to greater autonomy at the bedside.” Memorial also has unit-based council and involves nurses in problem solving and contributing ideas, according to Beveridge.
HSHS is also investing in its employees. The REACH program was recently introduced and covers up to $4,000 in tuition upfront annually for its 11,000+ employees. Tuition for clinical certificates, associate, bachelor’s and graduate degrees and other studies is covered. “We’re really looking at how we can help our employees grow,” said Williams.
How can the State of Illinois help with the shortage?
Both Beveridge and Williams agree if Illinois joins the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), it will accelerate the onboarding process and allow nurses with compact licenses to get to work faster.
The Nursing Licensure Compact is an agreement between states allowing nurses with a nursing license from one compact state to work in another compact state.
Williams said it can often take weeks or even months for an RN who has relocated from another state to get their Illinois nursing license. If Illinois were to become a compact state, “We broaden the number of states we’re able to pull nursing talent from,” she said.
As of June, the compact agreement covered 40 states and the Virgin Islands and Guam. Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate aiming to make Illinois a compact state.