SE5

 

Commitment to Professional Development SE5

 

Provide a description with supporting evidence of the organization’s action plan for registered nurses obtaining a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing.

 

Include:

  • How the target was established
  • What strategies were utilized to achieve or maintain the target (>80%)
  • How the nurses are supported to achieve a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing.

 

 

Target Established

In May 2017, the Professional Development Council, comprising clinical nurses, educators, nurse managers and directors from across the Palmetto Health system, established the goal to achieve a 1% increase in registered nurses with a BSN or higher nursing degree per hospital by the end of May 2018. (Evidence SE5-1, Goal Setting and Action Plan) In May 2018, this goal was carried over by the Professional Development Council with a goal of a 1% increase by May 2019. (Evidence SE5-1, Goal Setting and Action Plan) This goal was established by reviewing the baseline percentage of nurses with a BSN or higher degree for each campus in May 2017 (Evidence SE5-1, Goal Setting and Action Plan)

 

Action Plan for RNs Obtaining a Baccalaureate or Higher Nursing Degree
Palmetto Health has created a comprehensive action plan for increasing the number of registered nurses with a baccalaureate or higher nursing degree. This is a system action plan that is operationalized at the Richland campus. The action plan listed measures that are available or suggested for development to help achieve the goal. (Evidence SE5-2, System Action Plan) The focus on professional development through obtaining a degree is embedded in two parts of the Nursing Strategic Plan: Bring the Palmetto Health Experience to Life and Reduce Unwarranted Variation.

 

Key initiatives under each of these strategies include the following:

  • Bring the Palmetto Health Experience to Life
    • Build the Future Workforce
      • Professional Development and Certification
      • Graduate Readiness
      • Increasing the Pipeline
  • Reduce Unwarranted Variation
    • University of South Carolina (USC) for Nursing Development
    • Palmetto Health-University of South Carolina (PH-USC) Collaborative

 

Timelines
The goal to increase the number of registered nurses with a baccalaureate or higher nursing degree is determined each year in May based on the recommendations of the Professional Development Council.   

 

Strategies

Partnerships with Colleges and Universities
As part of the comprehensive action plan, Palmetto Health established partnerships with 23 colleges and universities to offer tuition discounts. On March 22, 2019, Dana Murphy, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing Education; Val Richardson, MA, HRDV, Manager of Workforce Development; and Erica Turrentine, MBA, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, Surgical Nurse Navigator, traveled with Carolyn Swinton, MN, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer to Orangeburg, South Carolina to cement a partnership with Claflin University that would provide more diversity and opportunities for nurses to obtain additional education. 

 

In addition, 17 college partners offer tuition discounts for RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs. These partnering institutions are regionally accredited with and endorsed by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and/or the Accreditation Commission for Education on Nursing (ACEN). Guidance and planning for nurses are available through Prisma Health Workforce Development. (Evidence SE5-3, Colleges Offering Tuition Discounts List, August 2018)  

 

Nurse Residency Program
Palmetto Health offers a 52-week residency program for new graduate nurses to provide structured support for their transition into nursing practice. This evidence-based program includes a curriculum of quality classes, simulations, one-on-one skills validation, hands-on application with clinical mentors and professional development.  The program was designed and developed by Angela Newman, BSN, RN, Manager of Nurse Residency, under the guidance and leadership of Swinton and Jill Benns, MSN/MBA-HCM, NEA-BC, PCCN-K, previous Director of Nursing Education. 

 

The process for selection into the program is rigorous, with preference given to applicants who hold a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing. Each nurse who is selected signs a contract of commitment to the organization, stating their obligation to remain employed by the organization for two years after completing the program. A nurse who does not fulfill this agreement is liable for up to $10,000, prorated based on the number of months of the contract commitment they fulfilled. The Nurse Residency Program empowers nurses and improves nurse competency, patient safety and the retention of BSN-prepared nurses. 

 

BSN Requirement for all Nurse Leaders
In addition to education requirements for nurse leaders, the assistant nurse managers and administrators on duty are required to hold at least a BSN.

 

BSN Toolkit
The Professional Development Council created a BSN Toolkit in July 2018 to assist nurses who are seeking a BSN degree. The toolkit streamlines a roadmap approach for convenient access and ease of use. The toolkit expands on the opportunities associated with obtaining a BSN and provides information on tuition reimbursement, scholarships and other financial assistance. It also suggests ways to celebrate the accomplishment of obtaining the BSN degree as a means of encouragement.

 

Professional Development Awareness Campaign
In September 2018, the Professional Development Council began developing an awareness campaign to promote professional development and education. The campaign honors nurses who have obtained a baccalaureate or higher nursing degree, drives nurses to strive for educational excellence and contributes to the advancement of the nursing profession. The council collaborated with the Marketing Department to use screensavers and wall displays in the organization to highlight nurse team members who have obtained a degree. Photographs of the honored nurses and their personal statements about the value of higher education appear on Richland Hospital computers and wall panels in the North Portal area. This campaign generates excitement, instills a sense of pride for featured nurses and their leaders, and creates a desire for other nurses to be recognized. 

 

Professional Development Fair
On March 15, 2019, Cindy Merrow, MSN, RN-BC, Clinical Practice Specialist for Medical Surgical Specialties, and the Professional Development Council hosted a Professional Development Fair, concentrating on higher nursing education, at the Richland Hospital North Portal. Richardson invited educational institutions that were established partners of Prisma Health, with 11 colleges and universities setting up tables to participate in the event. Three drop-in sessions were held to accommodate the day, evening and night shifts. Attendees were able to have one-on-one interactions with representatives from the schools while viewing information about them firsthand. The attendees were encouraged to visit multiple educational tables and earn stamps for their “passports,” which encouraged them to maximize the amount of information they acquired from the various tables. The attendees then deposited their filled passports into a box for a drawing. Nearly 500 staff members attended the event.

 

Palmetto Health-University of South Carolina Collaborative
Swinton and Jeanette Andrews, PhD, RN, FAAN, Dean and Helen Gurley Wolford Professor College of Nursing, University Of South Carolina, collaborated to determine ways to recruit and retain nurses. All initiatives related to this collaboration are captured and tracked in a Smart Sheet. The following are the initiatives that relate to BSN or higher education:

  • Graduate readiness – Enhance BSN readiness for practice. This is done by continually assessing the Richland Hospital environment and identifying where simulation scenarios would be beneficial. For example, urinary catheter care maintenance was added as a simulation for students when the system experienced a spike in CaUTIs.
  • Incorporate student introductions into shift huddle – Make students feel welcomed at the beginning of the shift.
  • Increasing the pipeline – Create a red carpet approach for students and target students who are accepted into the Nursing lower division to work as nursing support assistants.
  • Recruiting students – Establish structured processes for multiple touchpoints with students throughout their clinical experiences.
  • Student Awards – Develop a student award program to recognize high-performing students.
  • Employment models – Create a structured process for student employment with advancement levels.
  • Onboarding students – Plan orientation for student employment.

 

This collaborative has given Prisma Health an opportunity to interface with students in the USC Nursing Program. Newman currently goes to nursing classes to speak about the Nurse Residency Program, and she meets with USC students who are doing clinical rotations at Prisma Health.

 

Promote ASCEND (Advancement System for Clinical Excellence and Nursing Development)   
ASCEND is a competency and outcome based professional development program for all eligible nurses at Richland Hospital. The program includes a professional development focus and challenges nurses to self-reflect on how they have contributed to achieving organizational goals and clinical outcomes over the past two years. The nurse’s level of outcome achievement determines the reward and recognition levels documented in the nurse’s portfolio. The promotion of ASCEND to create awareness and increase participation was a key element of the action plan. It is operationalized by Richland Hospital nurses providing an individualized development portfolio that demonstrates exemplars, sources of evidence, that validate individual competencies and the achievement of professional outcomes in the portfolio.  Recognition and levels of rewards are tied to the level of outcome achievement documented in the individual portfolio. The nurses’ portfolios are driven by their abilities and interests and are designed to encourage self-directed professional development and career growth. Each tier has an associated monetary reward paid out as a bonus.


Nurses may submit an exemplar on obtaining a BSN or higher nursing degree if they can substantiate how the degree has contributed to positive outcomes. The program focuses on moving beyond simply obtaining the degree (process) to demonstrating the value of the degree (outcome). (Evidence SE5-4, ASCEND PGR and Program Guide)

 

Organizational Support

Tuition Reimbursement 
Tuition Assistance pays funds to employees who are enrolled in an accredited university or college that results in a formal degree or approved certificate. This demonstrates Prisma Health’s commitment to invest in team members’ professional and educational development. Eligible full-time employees may apply for up to $5,000 in tuition assistance per calendar year after 90 days of continuous employment. Part-time employees may apply for up to $2,500 in tuition assistance per calendar year after 90 days of continuous employment. Tuition assistance includes tuition and book expenses. (Evidence SE5-5, Tuition Assistance PGR November 29, 2018).

 

Elizabeth McCullough High Potential Scholarships
The Richland Hospital Board of Trustees awards educational scholarships to Richland Hospital nurses who are pursuing a degree or advanced certification in healthcare. The Elizabeth H. McCullough High Potential Employee Scholarships provide awards in the amounts of $10,000 and $5,000 yearly. The criteria for nurses to be eligible for the scholarship are to:

  • Be employed by Prisma Health for a minimum of one year
  • Be enrolled in a course load of at least six hours per semester
  • Be pursuing a degree or advanced certification in healthcare 

 

Hourly Bonus for BSN Nurses
BSN incentive pay awards BSN-prepared non-exempt nurses one additional dollar per hour to their hourly rate of pay.

 

Flexible Scheduling
Nurse leaders allow a flexible work schedule to support class attendance.

 

Recognition
Nurses are recognized for achieving higher learning milestones. Nurse leaders recognize nurses in a variety of ways including:

  • Displaying them on congratulatory boards and in messages on Yammer;
  • And one-on-one personal congratulations or congratulatory emails, e-cards and meal tickets.

 

The Professional Development Council recognizes nurses who hold a BSN or higher nursing degree through photos and quotes on wall displays and computer screensavers.