HELEN STAPLES-EVANS

Embracing Our Nurses

Loma Linda University Health nurses are an incredible team of professionals who make a difference in patients’ lives every day. I often think of the words of Albert Schweitzer when he said, “Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” Our nurses do wonderful work and serve at those critical moments when patients need us most, and it is an enormous privilege to meet those needs and help bring hope to those we serve.

The last year will be remembered as a transformational year in our history. On Sunday, August 8, 2021, our campus was transformed. Countless hours from all our teams were spent to make sure that upon opening, we would be able to continue the quality of care we provided in our new space. Then, in just a few hours, we safely moved 301 patients into our new hospitals and expanded our ability to provide service to our community. While the physical structure of our campus may have changed, the core of what makes Loma Linda University Health a leader in healthcare, remains because of you – our nurses.

In every one of our hospitals, Loma Linda University Health nurses prove the foundation of healthcare is excellent nursing. Our work is patient-centered, backed by our integrity, skills, and longstanding commitment to professional development and career advancement opportunities.

Input from the nursing team led us to revamp the Clinical Advancement Program (CAP). Our professional governance groups have worked to provide a more user-friendly, more attainable program. CAP follows the Magnet Model, as well as our own Nursing Strategic Plan. This exciting program offers a pathway toward professional development that enhances direct, bedside nursing care in a significant way.

The newest members of our profession learn and grow through our RN Nursing Residency programs. Launched in 2020, the program took off this past year, with 528 nurses going through the program in the adult hospital alone. This has encouraged us to begin the application process for the Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP). Fewer than 30 hospitals in California offer their nurses PTAP activities. At Loma Linda University Health, we plan to see PTAP play a significant role in transitioning novice nurses into more expert roles and responsibilities.

Our status as an Academic Medical Center enabled us to work closely with the University’s School of Nursing students this year, encouraging student nurses to volunteer for support activities. Their work provided valuable support as we battled the pandemic. At the same time, those students complete their studies with significant amounts of hands-on experience, an essential factor in their future career opportunities.

Summer 2022 marked the second anniversary of our achieving Magnet status as a nursing team. Magnet designation identifies healthcare institutions that genuinely value their nurses. Our Magnet efforts have provided many opportunities for nurses to shine. While our next Magnet evaluation is in 2024, we continue seeing engagement on this nursing team to continue our focus on Magnet.

Of course, no examination of 2022 would be possible without acknowledging the impact of COVID-19 on our work for the second year in a row. Yet, as I reflect on your work, I see a team that pushed through this difficult time with perseverance and resiliency. No challenge was too great for the Loma Linda University Health nursing team. You met each moment with grace and commitment. When you chose to enter the nursing profession, you found the work exhausting, but awe-inspiring. I thank you for your dedication to the nursing profession and the mission of Loma Linda University Medical Center. Outstanding patient care takes a team, and each of you on this team continues to inspire me.

Our future is bright, and I look forward to the days ahead. In the pages that follow, you will read and see highlights from across the campus; you will celebrate the journey of 2022 with all of its many opportunities.

Helen Staples-Evans

Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services Chief Nursing Officer Loma Linda University Health