Fifty two nurses sat in a Pavilion conference room attentive and ready to hear from their leader. As Chief Nursing Office Lori Armstrong greeted each table of new RNs, you could feel the excitement and anticipation in the room for “lunches with Lori” which this month was a graduate nurse welcome lunch for this special group.
“You are the largest new graduate nurse class Texas Children’s has ever had,” said Armstrong.
The comment was met with applause by the RNs who graduated nursing schools in December. They were among hundreds who applied for the latest batch of nursing positions that have been added since Armstrong and her nursing leadership team launched the reinvention of nursing in November. Since then, 212 new RNs have been hired filling vacancies as well as new full time employee positions that were added to combat the staffing needs throughout the organization. These grads are among the best and brightest according to Armstrong. Each was required to not only graduate from nursing school, but have a 3.5 grade point average or higher, complete the application with two letters of recommendation as well as write mission and vision statements. The rigorous new requirements and hiring process are meant to determine not only if the nurses are the right fit for the organization, but if we’re the right fit for them.
“Our culture is one where we would do anything for our patients,” Armstrong told the excited crowd. “Your first job is a time you will never forget and I’m so happy you chose to be here for that.”
The group shared their own excitement in their new positions.
“I’ve been at a lot of companies at different levels and I’ve yet to see this level of satisfaction at every level from janitors to staff, nurses and doctors,” said Aaron Clay, RN.
“I started at a Texas Children’s Pediatrics office, moved to hospital as I entered nursing school and now I’m a nurse so that’s growth,” said Jeanette Costilla, RN.
For the nursing department, the new hires are just a small step toward the bigger picture of reinventing the role of nurses across the organization with hopes of attracting nurses from top nursing schools across the U.S. Growing the educated nursing population is not just a priority at Texas Children’s, but across the nation. Evidence shows nurses that have at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing significantly impact morbidity rates and infection rates.
