Stepping Up to Get the Job Done

All industries continue to deal with workforce shortages. Hospitals and other healthcare providers are dealing with staffing as well. Most other industries can produce less product or shorten their hours of service. In healthcare, especially in hospitals, this is not an option. The hospital needs to be open 24 hours a day, every day.

Nurses and nursing technicians are the largest segments of the workforce of any hospital. At GBMC, we are fortunate to have so many expert, dedicated staff members who pull together no matter what the challenge to treat every patient as if they were their loved ones. Addressing the nursing workforce shortage requires a multifaceted recruitment and retention approach.  

In July, Angela “Angie” Feurer, RN, MSN, NEA-BC, stepped into the role of Interim Chief Nursing Officer. A seasoned nurse leader of 24 years, Angie has been the Director of Nursing for the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Medicine, Telemetry, SAFE, and the Stroke Program. She also played a critical role as an Incident Commander during the cyber-attack and COVID-19. Angie has excelled at transitioning into this role while earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Maryland. 

The nursing shortage is a major focus of Angie’s work. The nation was already experiencing a shortage of nurses and the pandemic exacerbated the problem, with people leaving the bedside for many reasons: retiring early, needing to care for a family member, experiencing burnout, or looking for remote work opportunities. As an independent community-owned system of care, GBMC is agile enough to quickly implement innovative solutions to ensure we are recruiting and retaining top nursing talent. Here are just a few of the ways we're attracting (and keeping) the best nurses within the GBMC HealthCare System:

• Supporting our nurses as lifelong learners. We're encouraging nurses to further their education and easing their financial burden with tuition assistance, loan forgiveness, tuition discounts, scholarships, as well as reimbursing for credentialing, conferences, and certifications.  

• Pay incentives. In addition to regular market adjustments to ensure our rates of pay are competitive, we've revamped our supplemental/ASAP nursing program -- nurses who "float" to different units -- to account for a nurse's years of experience and adjusted pay rates accordingly. There are also other new pay incentives for nurses who precept new nurses, run charge, and take on-call shifts. 

• Referral bonuses for employees who refer nurses to us. If a full-time nurse is hired, the referring employee gets $5,000!

• Investing in wellness. Nursing at the bedside is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting! GBMC nurses have access to free on-campus massages, an "Oasis Room" in the Civiletti Conference Center with massage chairs and virtual meditation headsets; free yoga classes (virtual or in person); on-site acupuncture, our employee fitness center, and more opportunities for self-care. 

• Growing nursing leaders. When we recognize a talented nursing leader, we want them to stay with us. We have created clear pathways to help nurses who have furthered their education and demonstrated a commitment to GBMC ascend into hospital leadership. Tracks in the Professional Excellence Model are focused on administration, quality and safety, or education.

The nursing shortage is not a challenge we can solve overnight, but I am grateful to Angie who is working closely with our colleagues in Human Resources, Nursing Leadership, Marketing, IT, and Finance to ensure GBMC remains a premier company for nursing careers. 

One outstanding nursing career to highlight is that of Kristan Zylka, BSN, RN, who has been welcoming babies into the world at GBMC for nearly 20 years. I love seeing the sheer joy Kristan clearly takes in her nursing practice. Check out this video of her and adorable baby Amir. 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month. We shine a light on domestic violence to help women and men get through challenging and frightening circumstances, educate others about those challenges, and share resources to ensure survivors get the support they need. Under the leadership of Laura Clary, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A, our SAFE & DV program, serves survivors of domestic violence, including survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Sexual assault and domestic violence patients not only get quality medical-forensic treatment, but also receive crisis intervention and safety planning. Our SAFE team has worked hard to expand across our healthcare system and into the community, and our primary care and emergency department teams have been trained on the signs of abuse and the steps to take when they see red flags.  Let me thank them for their hard work and expertise, and for educating our community.

Honoring their Amazing Work
This week, we are proudly celebrating our emergency nurses during ER Nurses’ Week (Oct. 9 – 15). This year's theme of Standing Strong acknowledges that a nurse’s days in the emergency department are challenging and highlights their resiliency.  During the week, a few of our nursing colleagues were recognized for their great work this year.
--Hayley Kelly, RN, Unperilous  Hero of the Year 2022
--Jacob McNeal, RN, Adult ER Nurse of the Year 2022
--Rachel Arden, RN, Pediatric ER Nurse of the Year
--Laurie Taylor, RN, Unwavering Solider of the ER
--Robert Freund, RN, Atlas of the ER
Please join me in honoring and thanking them and all of our ER Nurses!  Pictured left to right:

Thank you!!

I want to thank all the members of our GBMC security staff, as this week is also Healthcare Safety and Security Week (Oct. 9-15). Our security officers are on the frontlines working in many locations around the hospital, including the emergency department, main entrances, and parking lots, to keep everyone safe. They work side-by-side with clinical teams in high-risk areas, employing de-escalation skills and interventions to ensure the safety of both our staff and our patients. Please join me in thanking our security staff for their hard work and for the strong commitment and diligence they display in the practice of their profession.

Care management professionals have always played a major role on our healthcare team, making a positive impact on health outcomes and cost containment. They work with patients and families, the healthcare team, and with payers, facilitating care and services while assuring that resources are utilized effectively. Although their role may be less visible than that of the direct, hands-on caregivers, care management professionals have an increasingly significant role in the health care industry. As expert advisors and advocates, they lead the patient through the often-overwhelming puzzle that is our healthcare system, finding the optimum value for the patient and assisting physicians through the identification of resources and services.  So, please join me during Case Management Week (Oct. 9-15) and thank our care managers for their hard work.