DENVER — Sam Espinoza is on a mission. Just days after graduating nursing school, she is set to begin her dream job as a trauma nurse in the emergency department at HCA HealthONE Swedish.
“I always wanted to be a nurse,” Espinoza said. “I like to constantly learn. I like to see something different every time I see a patient.”
Early in Espinoza's professional journey, she began working at HCA HealthONE's Virtual Care Center, where she virtually monitors heart rates of patients in HCA HealthONE hospitals. Although her role does not require a medical degree, it played a vital part in allowing nurses in the hospital to focus on more pressing matters. The job allowed Espinoza to get on-the-job training while she studied to become a registered nurse.
“I thought that was great that they made it easy for you to grow,” she said about her development at HCA HealthONE.
HCA HealthONE is implementing strategies to address the nursing shortage and the challenges nurses face today, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Angie Voigt, Chief Nursing Executive at HCA HealthONE, supporting career advancement is one way to grow and retain talented nurses.
“It’s not a new idea, but I think we’ve executed it very well,” Voigt said. “Somebody coming in at an entry-level position may not have a degree, so we’ve created different pathways for them to explore.”
With initiatives like tuition reimbursement and resources for career growth, HealthONE aims to attract candidates who might not otherwise afford nursing school. Voigt explained that providing educational benefits helps them stay competitive in the market.
HealthONE also launched its own nursing school last year, recognizing a need for more trained professionals to enter the nursing field. “We knew that if we trained more nurses, more nurses would come into our community and start working here,” Voigt said.
However, the nursing profession faces challenges, such as a rise in patient violence, especially since the pandemic. This has led to some nurses leaving the field altogether.
“What we’re seeing with the violence is a lagging indicator that tells us we have a problem,” Voigt said. “We need to address that actual issue.”
Though Voigt acknowledges that solutions aren't straightforward, she believes listening to nursing staff is crucial for finding new strategies.
“I don’t know all the answers. The people that do know are the nurses. If we create avenues for their voices to be escalated, and we listen and take action, that helps us innovate for different solutions.”
In the meantime, HCA HealthONE is fortunate to have dedicated individuals like Sam Espinoza in its ranks. As she prepares to step into her new role, Espinoza reflects on her growth and education, reaffirming her commitment to patient advocacy.
“Now I’ve grown, and I have this education, so I’m a better advocate now than I was,” she said. “I think everyone deserves to have someone advocating for them. They need someone to speak up for them, and I enjoy doing that.”
