Nurses comprise the largest percentage of the nation’s health care workforce, and demand for nurses is greater than ever.
At St. Joseph Healthcare, we give members of our nursing family access to the training and ongoing professional development opportunities they need to be successful as both caregivers and leaders within our organization and community.
Registered Nurse Professional Recognition for Excellence Program (PREP)
PREP, St. Joseph Healthcare’s clinical ladder program, provides Registered Nurses who are actively involved in direct clinical patient care with the opportunity for advancement and promotion with a monetary benefit. In addition to supporting nurse retention and recruiting, PREP program objectives include:
- Improving the quality of patient care and outcomes
- Providing advancement opportunities for nurses who demonstrate clinical expertise, scholarship, leadership and improvement in practice, outcomes and patient experience.
Nurse Residency Program for New Graduate Nurses
St. Joseph Hospital Nurse Residency Program is a 12-month, paid education and program that aims to support new graduate nurses as they transition into the profession. The program includes a summer skills intensive (8-hour sessions held weekly for 4 weeks) and quarterly sessions over the course of 12 months. The program focuses on developing leadership and clinical judgment while promoting safe, quality patient care. The curriculum integrates concepts of professionalism, self-development, peer and leader support, and simulation to holistically surround the newly graduated nurses through their first year of nursing practice.
The program benefits nurse residents by helping them learn how to:
- Use effective decision-making skills
- Provide clinical nursing leadership when administering care
- Strengthen their professional commitment to nursing
St. Joseph Hospital Summer Nurse Externship Program
St. Joseph Hospital is proud to offer an 11-week, paid summer nurse externship
program for nursing students entering their senior level of nursing school. This is a
opportunity to develop professional nursing skills and gain additional clinical
experience prior to graduation.
Each week, 24 hours (two-12 hour shifts) will be dedicated to the CNA role,
performing patient care tasks in accordance with by the State of Maine Nursing
Board and St. Joseph Hospital policies and procedures.
Concurrently, the Nurse Extern will spend 12 hours each week (one 12-hour shift)
dedicated to increasing nursing knowledge in a series of classroom sessions,
simulation, and observational experiences in various settings within the hospital
under the guidance of an RN mentor and educator. Additionally, the Nurse Extern will
participate in team building and volunteer work to support active engagement within
the Bangor community in alignment with the Mission of St. Joseph Hospital.
For more information contact Erica Caron, Director Clinical Education & Professional Practice at ecaron2@covh.org.
Additional Ways We Support Our Nurses
Compensation and Benefits:
Our organization provides highly competitive salaries that are market-based and experience rated. In addition, we offer a comprehensive and flexible benefits program. It is designed to provide you and your family valuable resources to protect and enhance your health and financial security and to help balance your work and personal lives.
Financial Support for Educational Advancement:
Members of our nursing team also have access to financial assistance that can help make taking the next step in their education and professional growth easier and more manageable financially.
Support to Achieve Work/Life Balance:
We believe in promoting a healthy and effective balance between your work and life responsibilities. We are proud to offer our employees additional benefits like wellness programs, earned time off, extended sick leave, leaves of absence, family and medical leave and professional development and education opportunities.