NORFOLK, Neb. -- Over the last four years, Faith regional hospital has focused on how to change the impact of the high turnover rate with nurses. To help solve the problem, Faith Regional Health Serviceshosted a Nursing Expo in Northeast Community colleges Learning Center and gave future students a glimpse of what to expect. 

“To say that there isn't a shortage of Nurses would be naive of us," Cassie Oestreich, Faith Regional Clinical recruiter said. "However, Faith Regional is trying to be so proactive in that and to not allow that to impact our patient care. I would say that we have done a tremendous job in the last few years to really prioritize the nurses that we're bringing on board.”

Staci Kolm, Faith Regional Health Services Director of Medical Surgical, Float Pool, & Acute Rehab unit also shared, “We have significantly cut down our turnover rate, which says a lot as a new graduate coming in, because what that means is that our nurses are staying, that they're comfortable, that they're growing and they're staying within the organization. So the medical surgical unit, we are looking to hire about five nurses. So we have hired three, which is very unusual. We don't usually hire new grads before the nursing career expo, but I do tie that back to the amazing team that works on the medical surgical unit. So we've hired three.”

To emphasize hands on learning, Faith Regional partners with both Northeast College and UNMC to create preceptorships and a number of important clinics such as O-R, Women's and Children's Med Surg, ICU, and the clinics. This helps students to enter that career force, feel knowledgeable, supported, and that they've had an opportunity to meet some tremendous leaders that will continue to guide them throughout their journey.

They are also given a great support system that is very valuable within their education system. They have a nurse residency program that brings new graduates together and ensures they are leading a happy, successful, healthy career. 

One thing Faith Regional likes to pride itself in the most, is work, life, balance.

“When you work for Faith Regional Health Services, they have an amazing team that is dedicated to your success and will do everything they can, to not see you or your colleagues FAIL but move up within the company,” Kolm said. “We grow our own, so our manager was a nurse on the floor, went to a charge nurse and now she is a manager, I myself was a manager and was promoted to a director. Now I'm over three departments. So there's so much growth internally that you don't find in other organizations and in Faith Regional, we believe in you and we want to help you get to all your dreams.”