3 minute read
Southern California
Southern California Division
An environment of respect, education and excellence allows the nurses of Southern California to grow and thrive.
“As we continue to carry out our mission, I challenge you to stay resilient, focused and determined during these unprecedented times. We are still running this marathon, and at the finish line, we will change aspects of what we know as ‘normal’ in ways previously inconceivable. Our patients depend on us. Thank you for bringing the best version of yourselves to care for our patients and one another. Your defining role is highly regarded and appreciated. It is now, more than ever, a time to be very proud of being a nurse. Onward!”
— Dr. Ron Yolo, DNP, MBA, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Southern California Division
Division Locations
Southern California
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, Arroyo Grande California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles Community Hospital of San Bernardino, San Bernardino French Hospital Medical Center, San Luis Obispo Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Glendale Marian Regional Medical Center, Santa Maria Mark Twain Medical Center, San Andreas Memorial Hospital - Bakersfield, Bakersfield Mercy Medical Center, Merced Mercy Hospital Downtown, Bakersfield Mercy Hospital Southwest, Bakersfield Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge St. Bernardine Medical Center, San Bernardino St. John’s Hospital Camarillo, Camarillo St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center, Stockton St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach
Additionally, the Southern California Division has approximately 100 outpatient locations, including ambulatory surgery centers, primary and specialty care offices, urgent cares, and Pacific Central Coast Health Centers.
Hiring and Retaining Our Nurses
Southern California Nurse Residency Program provides opportunities for training, guidance and support.
Due to the “Great Resignation” that followed the pandemic, nurse residency programs are popping up across the country as health care systems explore ways to gain and retain nursing talent.
For many years, the Southern California Division’s Nurse Residency Program has been a successful model. Nearly a decade ago, nursing leadership at Marian Regional Medical Center (Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande campuses) and French Hospital Medical Center knew they had to find a way to solve major problems: low employee morale, nursing retention issues, inefficient onboarding, and declining safety and patient experience metrics.
The solution would be the best nursing decision the team ever made — a program to provide training and guidance, enhance skills and confidence and improve the transition into clinical practice.
The Nurse Residency Program gives participants the unique opportunity to not only hone
Above, top to bottom: Southern California Division’s Nurse Residency Program has been a successful model, and includes training and guidance in various areas, including a Simulation Lab.
—Julie J. Sprengel, President & CEO, Southern California Division
Equality for All
Providing welcoming and knowledgeable care for LGBTQ+ patients is a key part of equitable health care services for all who enter our doors. That’s why every Dignity Health hospital in California participated in this year’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), a program of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ organization. The HEI is a rigorous national benchmarking tool that evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. All the Southern California Division hospitals have been recognized as a “Equality Leader or Top Performer” for their commitment to LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees — a testament to the dedication of our compassionate care teams.
their critical thinking skills but also use evidence-based practices. This approach ensures that high-quality, safe care is delivered to everyone in a compassionate environment, to improve overall clinical outcomes and the patient experience.
Depending on the specialty, the program length varies from 16 to 24 weeks and includes on-unit nursing shifts shadowing trained preceptors, rotations with various units to learn how we all work together as one team, and hands-on classes. The success of the program led to its expansion in 2018 to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. Dignity Health copyrighted the program and is quickly moving toward implementation across CommonSpirit. For the Southern California Division, it is a moment of pride seeing the program expand across the country. However, our greatest pride is in knowing our nurses want to work at CommonSpirit. •
Noteworthy Numbers
25,000
Employees
Nearly
10,000
Total Nurses
18
Hospitals
100
Care Sites
