Nurses are the heart of our organization. If you have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others, we invite you to join our team.
A Magnet-recognized health system
Mercyhealth has received Magnet recognition, the gold standard of nursing excellence worldwide. Magnet recognition is a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care. To nurses, Magnet Recognition means education and development through every career stage, which leads to greater autonomy at the bedside. To patients, it means the very best care, delivered by nurses who are supported to be the very best that they can be.
Nursing benefits
We offer comprehensive benefits to give you a rewarding work-life balance:
- RN student debt repayment program
- Generous paid time off
- Flexible scheduling
- Elevated tuition and certification reimbursement
- Collaborative care environment
- Shared governance
- Career education and clinical ladder opportunities
- Retirement matched savings program
- And much more
Advance your career
Mercyhealth offers careers ladders and numerous programs to help you grow in your knowledge, experience and confidence. We also offer programs to acclimate and mentor new-to-practice nurses, as well help non-nurses take the first step to toward a nursing career by becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA).
Mercyhealth’s Nurse Residency Program offers newly licensed RNs the opportunity to train with nurse educators and mentors in both classroom and clinical settings. This program provides a collaborative, team-oriented, supportive transition from education to nursing practice for new graduates. During the six-month program, participants meet for a class monthly, followed by six months of mentorship (see below for more information). Class agendas are a mixture of guest lectures, hands-on activities, case studies, group discussions, games, and more.
Program objectives
- Develop engaged partners who promote evidence-based, professional nursing practice
- Increase clinical knowledge and expertise of new nursing staff, to improve quality outcomes on nursing units
- Retain new nurses within the profession of nursing
- Follows American Nurses Credentialing Center guidelines for a residency program
Repeated learning topics
- Peer support
- Time-management strategies
- Communication skills
- Interprofessional teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Ethical decision-making
- Informatics and quality data
- Situational awareness
Benefits of the residency
Research demonstrates that onboarding of new to practice nurses through a structured and accredited residency program leads to an increase in competency, reduction of Error, reduced self-reported stress, increased job satisfaction, and improved retention.
Learning experiences that build professional relationships, incorporate strong support from preceptors, mentors and nursing leadership provide respect and build confidence are all linked to positive perceptions of job satisfaction and are integral components of a healthy work environment that has been identified as a predictor of improved nursing retention.
Requirements
To be eligible for the program, candidates must:
- Pass the NCLEX next generation exam
- Possess a valid Wisconsin or Illinois nursing license before the start date
- Newly licensed RN with less than six (6) months of experience
Following the six-month residency program, nurses complete a six-month mentorship program. The combination of the six-month residency and six-month mentorship gives our newly graduated nurses a full year of guidance and support as they begin their career at Mercyhealth.
During the mentorship, new nurses will receive professional guidance from an advisor who is an expert in his or her field. Advisors will:
- Model and facilitate growth in professional behaviors and skills
- Encourage and model stress management
- Provide professional and career counseling and information.
- Help their mentee thrive professionally and grow within the organization
This program helps individuals become a licensed certified nursing assistant (CNA). It is an excellent stepping stone to other health care specialties, such as nursing.
Students learn how to safely, effectively and compassionately provide care to patients, achieve the requirements of the CNA course skills and competencies, and ensure patients receive safe, comprehensive care according to state standards and guidelines.
Students will participate in the clinical experience by rotating through diverse departments at the Mercyhealth Hospital and Trauma Center campus, located in Janesville, Wisconsin. The 88-hour program consists 12 classes that are completed in a 5-week span. Instruction includes clinical experience and classroom learning. Students are expected to attend all classes in order to complete the course.
Essential duties and responsibilities of a CNA
- Provide patient care as assigned and per routine as defined by educational scope, according to standards of care, shift routines, and policies and procedures
- Answer call lights in a timely and appropriate manner
- Document care provided according to standards
- Maintain a clean work and patient environment
- Maintain supplies, including scanning, stocking and ordering new supplies and disposing of expired or damaged supplies
- Float to various units based on identified patient care needs
- Participates in department or unit performance improvement activities
Learning topics
- Infection control
- Safety/emergency procedures/CPR
- Communication
- Promoting patient independence
- Respecting patients’ rights
- Basic nursing skills: Personal care and fundamentals
- Basic restorative services
- Advanced skills
- Therapeutic interventions
- Dementias and cognitive issues
- Personal and patient safety
For more information
To learn more, view the Mercyhealth Nursing Assistant Program handbook.