2021 Nurses Week

Celebrating Northwest Nurses

Page 2 • May 5, 2021 • Wednesday

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

Student nurses from Gonzaga University helped administer vaccinations, along with volunteer student nurses from Washington State University College of Nursing.

Gonzaga accepted an invitation by CHAS Health to help distribute vaccines to patients at one of Gonzaga’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics. (Gonzaga University photo)

Nursing programs maintain commitment to quality instruction during pandemic

BY THERESA TANNER Marketing Writer Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for nurses was on the rise in America.

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that employment for registered nurses (RNs) would grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, citing an increasing older population that will require more health care services and many workers entering retirement.

And while interest in the field is steady, the capacity for nursing education programs to handle that interest is, unfortunately, limited.

“Nursing programs across the U.S. continue to receive more student applications than they are able to accept, due in great part to limited faculty and clinical placement opportunities,” wrote Jo Ann Walsh Dotson, associate dean of undergraduate academic affairs for Washington State University College of Nursing, in an email interview.

The case is similar at two other local institutions of learning – Spokane Community College and Gonzaga University.

SCC associate dean of nursing Cheryl Osler says about one-third of nursing applicants are accepted to their fall and spring programs.

Vince Salyers, dean of Gonzaga’s School of Nursing and Human Physiology, echoed the sentiment in a video interview: “Much like most nursing education programs, we turn away hundreds of students who be otherwise be qualified for admission … what this means is that only the best of the best are getting in as nursing programs become more and more competitive.”

Teaching health care in a pandemic When the COVID-19 crisis disrupted life across the country last year, nursing programs faced the same concerns as other education programs with an additional imperative: Could they safely continue to teach the next class of essential health care workers who would be needed more than ever?

Osler says that SCC has been very fortunate in their adaptation to COVID-19 safety protocols last year.

“In spring, we were able to maintain our clinical rotation requirements except in long-term care facilities. For those students, we were able to use our nursing simulation laboratory,” Osler said in a phone interview. “We put our theory classes online, but had small groups of four students for lab classes to follow CDC guidance.”

After the spring quarter, SCC was able to return to in-person lecture by spreading out students in larger classrooms.

Dotson of WSU wrote that “COVID increased the utilization of simulation per federal and state standards,” citing that the effectiveness of simulation has been documented by the National Council of State

Boards of Nursing.

“Students have rapidly adapted to Zoom and other distance education modalities for lectures and some skills practice,” noted Dotson, adding that the WSU College of Nursing continues to prioritize “inperson clinical experiences, simulation and skills opportunities.”

At the start of the pandemic, Salyers said, in order to protect the health and safety of Gonzaga students, faculty and staff, as well as the Spokane community, “We were really cautious, because there was so much that we didn’t understand about COVID. So we made the conscious decision to not let students into health care settings until risk mitigation systems were in place.”

To address how students would meet clinical/ practicum requirements in the absence of sufficient clinical practicums, the Department of Nursing developed flexible and innovative solutions, additional simulations and alternative learning activities to supplant to hands-on care experiences.

Since most of Gonzaga’s graduate level nursing courses are already online, that transition was easier than its undergraduate, face-to-face counterpart.

After adapting to online instruction that was meaningful for students in the spring and much of this year, the school is now preparing for fall, when the university has committed fully to in-person learning.

“We’re trying to mitigate risk to the best of our ability,” Salyers said, praising the work of Gonzaga’s pandemic response task force and Department of Nursing faculty and staff.

With increased vaccine eligibility in Washington, a safer return to in-person activities in the second half of 2021 seems possible. And the need for nurses continues to grow.

Degree opportunities for nurses There are multiple pathways available for nursing education programs, and all programs are a bit different.

SCC offers an Associate in Nursing (ADN) Direct Transfer Degree that will prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to earn their license as an RN. This program is designed to allow students to transfer credits to certain four-year intuitions in Washington State to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

“When it comes to the difference between an associate and bachelor degree, there’s not much difference in what nurse can do at the bedside,” explained Osler. The professional benefits of a bachelor degree include easier opportunities for managerial promotion.

North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene also offers an ADN program, as well as a shorter program to educate

Spokane Community College nursing students returned to on-campus learning in May 2020 with precautions like masks and social distancing. The workforce training program was declared essential. (Courtesy Community Colleges of Spokane)

Washington State University nursing students practice in a COVID skills lab. (Sarah Schaub / WSU Health Sciences)

licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

WSU’s undergraduate nursing program admits junior-level students who have completed nursing prerequisites and general university requirements, including ADN transfers.

Gonzaga BSN students are admitted directly to the school after high school.

Both WSU and Gonzaga offer graduate nursing degrees for RNs who want to continue developing advanced or specialized skills, take on leadership roles or pursue academia or research.

And since only “the best of the best” are admitted, program administrators emphasize that strong candidates have a strong background in science; standard course requirements include biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and psychology.

Students are also encouraged to volunteer or work shadow in health care settings, if possible, to help evaluate if a career in nursing is right for them.

LOCAL NURSING PROGRAMS

SPOKANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE • Nursing Assistant Certificate • Associate in Nursing/ Direct Transfer Agreement/ Major Related Program More information: scc.spokane.edu/nursing NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE • Practical Nursing Intermediate Technical Certificate • Associate’s Degree Nursing More information: www.nic.edu/nursing GONZAGA UNIVERSITY • Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Online Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing • Online Master of Science in Nursing (Nursing Leadership in Healthcare; Family Nurse Practitioner; Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) • Online Second Master’s Degree • Online Doctor of Nursing Practice Post-Baccalaureate • Online Doctor of Nursing Practice- Post-Masters More information: www.gonzaga.edu/nursing WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY • Bachelor of Science in Nursing • Master of Nursing • Doctor of Nursing Practice • PhD in Nursing More information: nursing.wsu.edu

Washington State University nursing students distribute vaccines at a clinic. (Cori Kogan/ WSU Health Sciences)

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 3

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Nurses reporting that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health challenges

BY PIA HALLENBERG Marketing Correspondent The collective mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is hard to deny, and it’s probably going to be with us for some time. The death toll alone reached 500,000 in February – more than the number of Americans who died in World War II, Vietnam and Korea combined – and they all died in about one year.

At the same time, more than 30 million Americans had COVID. Many had just mild symptoms, but others were sick for weeks or months, and many spent time at the hospital.

Grief, anxiety, stress, feelings of isolation and exclusion piled on top of it all, in a manner that totally flattened some people.

“In the First World War, we had not experienced a pandemic like this in 100 years, so we had very few points of comparison,” said Paul Gionfriddo, CEO of Mental Health America (MHA), a 113-yeard old nonprofit organization that advocates for better mental health treatment and support. “People were asking if it would it be like the Great Depression – uncertainty about the future, no money, no food, but it wasn’t like that. We had nothing to compare it to.”

Mental Health America offers free, anonymous mental health screenings on its website. There has been an immediate increase in self-screenings with results that indicated more severe mental health issues.

Gionfriddo said awareness of COVID in 2020 led to an immediate increase of anxiety, followed by an increase in depression about two weeks later.

“Also, more people experienced depression for the first time,” Gionfriddo said.

He added that because this is a worldwide pandemic it was difficult to avoid. Media coverage, stories of hardship and disease shared by friends and colleagues, restrictions and masks everywhere – there were no place to escape.

Research shows that if a person experiences, for instance, a mass shooting, and survives, then the trauma from that experience will, perhaps not surprisingly, last a long time. If another unrelated trauma is added, he said mental health issues can get progressively worse and recovery will take much longer.

“We have laid a foundation with an unprecedented number of people who experienced trauma and mental health issues last year. Their continued mental health issues could stretch out over decades,” Gionfriddo said. “I’d say about half the people experienced a mental health issue last year – usually it’s about 20 percent.”

Jim Stryd, a mental health staff nurse with Kaiser Permanente in Spokane, said he saw a lot more anxiety and depression than usual.

“And it was mostly from young people and elderly people,” Stryd said.

Many elderly people faced severe restrictions in assisted living facilities early on, and the resulting separation from family and friends was harder on them than other groups, he said.

“Some were simply shut in at home,” Stryd said.

“With kids, I think it was similar issues: not being able to be in school and see their friends brought on a lot of anxiety and depression.”

He said it’s too soon to say anything about whether things are getting better.

“It’s tough when you can’t go out and do the things

you used to do for your own enjoyment,” he said.

“What else is there to do at home to feel better? It’s hard figuring out what to do instead.”

An early sign of depression is when people stop doing what they used to enjoy.

“I’d talk to a lot of patients and try and find out what it was they used to enjoy doing,” Stryd said. “From a behavioral modification standpoint, you then try to make yourself do these things again with the goal that they will make you feel better.”

Nurses on the frontlines impacted The nursing profession has a deep personal involvement – nurses often describe their profession as a calling – yet the impact of COVID on nurses’ mental health is difficult to grasp. Gionfriddo said statistics show more frontline workers experienced depression for the first time.

“Nurses were definitely feeling more worried and greater depression than before pandemic started,” Gionfriddo said. “What really struck me was how high a percentage of them were thinking of leaving the profession – at one point, it was close to half of the nurses.”

Everyone has a level of normal anxiety and worry; concerns about things like taxes, elderly parents and job loss are common and often dealt with by talking to friends or family. But when anxiety begins to feel out of the norm and perhaps a full-fledged anxiety attack happens for the first time, it’s important to take action.

“One of the things I tell people is try not to guess – take a mental health screening – if what you are feeling is outside of the norm,” Gionfriddo said. “An anxiety attack can feel like a heart attack. It can be very scary and it’s important to know what it is and how to treat it.”

He added that people who take screenings on MHA’swebsite mostly are just looking for information and then some form of peer engagement. Screenings are free and anonymous and can help people figure out if it’s time to call a physician.

“When someone says, ‘I feel depressed,’ we tend to respond by saying ‘join the club’ but it’s important to find out if you actually have clinical depression right now,” Gionfriddo said.

The stigma around mental health issues often means people hide their symptoms or postpone seeking treatment, while their anxiety or depression gets worse and worse.

“And that’s too bad,” Gionfriddo said. “Mental health conditions are the only conditions we wait to treat until stage 4 – that’s when the police come out and judges get involved. It doesn’t have to be like that.”

“We have laid a foundation with an unprecedented number of people who experienced trauma and mental health issues last year. Their continued mental health issues could stretch out over decades.”

Paul Gionfriddo, CEO of Mental Health America

To learn about Mental Health America or take a free confidential screening, visit screening.mhanational.org/ screening-tools/. These are intended to be educational but not a medical diagnosis or specific treatment recommendations. Check with a health care provider for more info or available services.

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Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Brynn Eixenberger, CHAS Health How long have you worked here?

Two and a half amazing years.

What do you like about where you work?

CHAS Health’s core values, and that CHAS doesn’t just “talk the talk” but they “walk the walk” every day, truly living up to the mission in practice every day. CHAS not only cares for our patients but they care for each employee just as much. This job has allowed me a wonderful work/life balance. I feel cared for as an employee.

How long have you been a nurse?

Eleven years.

Where did you study?

I studied in Olathe, Kansas, where I grew up, at Johnson County Community College.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I love that I get to think outside the box to help our patients with difficult problems that they face. I enjoy problem solving. I like the opportunities and job security that nursing has given me over the past 11 years. I feel it’s important that every person have an advocate, and I like that sometimes I can be that person for someone who has no one else.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

My mom had cancer when I was about 12 years old.

I remember her telling me a story about a when she went in to have her mastectomy and was waiting to go into the OR. She told me she was so nervous and anxious not knowing what to expect. The nurse leaned down to her level, looked her right in the eyes and said “I know you are scared, but I will be right here with you the whole time. I got you.” I wanted to be

that person who helps people get through hard times, who can comfort someone in a moment of fear.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

You don’t just have to work in the hospital. There are endless opportunities for people who are RNs. I still meet other RNs at times and ask what they do and am blown away at all the different types of jobs there are for RNs. From hospital work to flight nurse, administrative to working in law offices, or on cruise ships.

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 5

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Stephanie Hall, Kootenai Health How long have you worked here?

I’ve been at Kootenai for two years, and I’ve been on 3E since we opened in November 2019.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

We have fantastic teamwork on our floor, we have so many smart, kind, and helpful nurses, CNAs, and other staff. Everyone is willing to teach; I know I can ask any of my co-workers for help or advice on a patient. We have gone through a lot this year becoming a COVID-19 unit with countless changes and challenges, and I think we only got through it as well as we did because of our teamwork and friendly personalities.

I love getting to meet patients and form relationships with them and their families while working to get the patient the help they need. Prior to nursing I was working in research where I felt like I wasn’t making an impact in my work daily, and nursing allows me to do that. I meet people I would never meet in my life outside of work, I learn about careers or places I’ve never heard of, I hear about experiences I will never have and learn about what is important to the patient that I’d have never known otherwise, all while doing my job and taking care of people. I feel more connected to humanity through being a nurse and that shared connection is so special.

How long have you been a nurse?

Why did you want to be a nurse?

What do you like about where you work?

Two years. Nursing is my second career. Prior to this, I worked in research as a biologist/research technician.

Where did you study?

I got my Bachelor of Science Nursing from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. Prior to that I had earned a Bachelor of Science of Biology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

I wanted to be able to make a direct connection and impact with people. My mom and two aunts were nurses, and I was raised surrounded by nurses. I grew up seeing them work but love their work even though it was hard emotionally and mentally. I also saw the benefit of the schedule, while they did have to work some weekends, they also had lots of flexibility with their schedule, which now as a nurse I really value.

Work-life balance is really important to me and nursing allows that.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Being a nurse on the COVID floor has been a wild and difficult ride. We tried to conserve PPE and reduce exposures so at certain times during the pandemic we were having to do tasks that were outside of our normal, and we were caring for very sick people experiencing a virus we didn’t know much about. We sometimes had daily changes to how our floor was run. It was a very stressful time, on top of the stress that was happening outside of work due to the pandemic. We appreciated all of our patients and families who were understanding of the situation we were put in. We really understood and felt the frustrations of not being able to be with family members. I am grateful to everyone in the community who supported us and helped us get through this, either from things like donating cookies and saying thanks or just doing a good job of preventing the spread of COVID. We can’t wait to go back to being regular nurses!

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Thank you!

In an unprecedented year, our nurses have shown unparalleled courage, grace and dedication.

Your contributions are an inspiration to us all!

Sullivan Park Assisted Living Community 421 South Adams Rd. Spokane Valley, WA 99216 (509) 924-5555 · www.PrestigeCare.com

Missy Martin, Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane How long have you worked here?

Fourteen years.

What do you like about where you work?

I really enjoy our patient population, the family-centered care we provide and the amazing team I get to work with daily. We get to help children with their quality of life and watch them achieve goals they have. Watching them grow up and progress through their growth is pretty remarkable!

How long have you been a nurse? Nineteen years.

Where did you study?

Lewis-Clark State College.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I love being able to help patients and their families in their time of need. If I can alleviate any stress for them by being a support system and advocate, then I feel I have done my job.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

I knew I wanted to work in pediatrics and help children with their medical needs, whether it be an acute illness or a complex diagnosis that would require long term care. Being able to see outcomes is the best! You get to see a patient come with a need, we offer a solution to improve their concern and then we get to see the outcome sometimes years down the road. It is pretty remarkable to observe!

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Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Ashley Randleman, ARNP, MultiCare Rockwood Clinic Pediatrics How long have you worked here?

Almost 3 years.

What do you like about where you work? I work with an incredibly

supportive and passionate group that has a common goal of caring for the pediatric population. I could tell right away that my colleagues really enjoy and value their work. It is rewarding to work with others that love and find fulfillment in working with kids and their families.

I get to work with kids every day which makes work fun!

How long have you been a nurse?

I have been a registered nurse for nine years and a nurse practitioner for five years.

Where did you study?

I earned my Bachelors of Nursing Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and my Masters of Nursing Science from Duke University.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

Being a pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care, is a profession that encompasses many roles such as health-

care provider, advocate, and educator.

This keeps my job interesting and ever evolving which I enjoy. Getting to know my patients and their families and build long-lasting relationships with them is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. It makes me so happy when I can solve a dilemma for a family or teach them something that can have a lifelong impact on the well-being of their child.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

My grandmother was a nurse! I was always so intrigued by her stories from work and how her small acts of kindness could really brighten a person’s day. Her warmth is an inspiration. I was brought up to always be nice and help other people whenever I can. I think having these values instilled in me at a young age really drew me to the medical field. When I was young, I did not even consider growing up and doing anything else. I was intrigued by the human body and the science of medicine. Not only do I help people for a living, but I challenge myself in my continued studies!

I am so glad I followed my dreams of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.

It is the fulfilling career that I always hoped for and I really could not imagine doing anything else.

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Tia Daly, Spokane Regional Health District How long have you worked here?

Two years.

What do you like about where you work?

I like the teamwork and knowing that we can make a difference in people’s lives.

How long have you been a nurse?

Since 2001.

Where did you study?

North Idaho College.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

That there are so many options and jobs available as a nurse.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

My dad inspired me to become a nurse.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Nurses serve to advocate for their patients and our job is to help maneuver them through the health care system.

Dan Ellis, ICU Nurse, Providence How long have you worked here?

About 11 months.

What do you like about where you work?

Providence Holy Family Hospital feels like you’re working with a big family.

It has a positive working environment and we enjoy working together. There is a mutual respect between all employees whether it’s peers, other staff, or management.

How long have you been a nurse?

For 20-plus years.

Where did you study?

Fresno, California.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I like the mental challenge that comes with being an ICU nurse. But the best part is seeing a patient admitted for

being extremely ill, and because of the dedicated work of the healthcare staff at Holy Family, they are sent home doing well. It is satisfying knowing you were a part of that.

Why did you want to become a nurse?

Helping others is awesome. Nursing is a highly respected profession. It is in constant high demand making lots of job opportunities. The benefits and pay are great. And, because of 12-hour shifts, you work less than half a year!

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Nursing is so dynamic and there are so many avenues of nursing. You don’t have to stick with one specialty. It’s a great profession that works around you and not you around it.

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 7

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

A

Katrina Mitrovich, Triage RN, Multicare Rockwood Clinic - Liberty Lake Pediatrics How long have you worked here?

This fall, my family and I relocated from the west side of the state and I was fortunate to be able to find a job at the Liberty Lake Multicare Rockwood Pediatric Clinic in November. My role in the pediatric clinic has been a big shift in the type of nursing I now practice, however, it has been a welcome change. I am enjoying using the skills I already had as I continue to develop them further in my new role as a pediatric triage nurse.

What do you like about where you work?

The clinic itself houses both Family Practice and Pediatrics. What I like most about where I work is how approachable staff are when I need help with anything.

I really am enjoying getting to know the providers and the rest of the staff and I appreciate how they have welcomed me in. Medicine is a team sport, and they truly do function as a team here.

How long have you been a nurse?

I have been a nurse for 20 years. I wanted to be a pediatric nurse more than anything and loved my first job working at Seattle Children’s in the Hematology Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Three years later my husband and I made a move to Indiana for him to finish his degree and I found a great job

at the Indiana University Cancer Center as an adult oncology infusion nurse. After five years in Indiana, we made it home again to Washington; I worked for the Multicare Regional Cancer Center in Gig Harbor for the past 12 years before relocating to the Spokane area.

Where did you study?

I spent all four years of college at the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2000.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

It’s hard to make it just one thing, but I really like problem solving as well as advocating for my patients.

As a triage nurse there is non-stop problem-solving and helping figure out what the best course of action is for a patient. It is really rewarding when you know you have helped put a parent at ease by helping facilitate the best care for their child. It feels right to be back working with the pediatric population.

above the drawing. I think at that age I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to help people. When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to shadow my favorite aunt who at that time was working as a nurse in the ICU. It was all very intimidating seeing all the machines and tubes, but it drew me in. I was fascinated with how graceful she managed the equipment while treating her patient with care and concern for his comfort. As I watched from a distance, I just thought how great that was to be able to be there for someone in their most vulnerable moments and help get them through it.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

We are good at “detective work.” We know how to use all of our senses and sometimes after we’ve completed an assessment, it is actually our sixth sense we rely on when something doesn’t seem quite right. Nurses are great at knowing how to listen to their “gut.”

Why did you want to be a nurse?

My mom showed me a picture she saved that I drew in Kindergarten of “my future self.” I drew a big smiley face with a nurse’s hat on and wrote “nurse”

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Angie LaBreck, MSN, RNC, Shriners Hospitals for Children How long have you worked here?

There are so many different ways to be a nurse that everyone has the opportunity to find their niche.

What do you like about where you work?

Why did you want to be a nurse?

How long have you been a nurse?

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Eight years total; four in Spokane, four in Portland.

I love knowing that at the end of each day I have made a positive difference in the lives of my patients and their families.

Seventeen years.

Where did you study?

Walla Walla School of Nursing.

When I was four years old, I met a Life Flight nurse and she was like a super hero. I fell in love on the spot and have known since that day that being a nurse was my calling.

The greatest patient advocate is the nurse.

GIVE YOUR ONLINE BRAND A BOOST

What do you like most about being a nurse?

The diversity the profession allows.

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Page 8 • May 5, 2021 • Wednesday

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

family or spouse, you can then give them that information. The patient can make that choice, whereas you couldn’t do so as easily when records were on paper.”

Telehealth and pandemic-era shifts

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Health tech: Fueling efficiency and expanding access

BY TYLER WILSON

Marketing Correspondent Robotics, lasers and big fancy machines often get the most attention in health care technology. For nurses and other medical professionals, however, some of the most significant advances aim to simplify and improve daily, point-of-care tasks.

One critical shift in health care tech is the continued expansion of digital records and data-keeping software programs that are used by doctors, nurses, administrative and support staff, specialists and patients.

Providence Health, a regional network of health services and clinics in Montana and Washington, including Spokane, utilizes a comprehensive and interconnected system that offer access to providers, staff and patients in a variety of ways.

Paula Cleanthous, RN, MN, executive director of acute clinical informatics at Providence, oversees nursing informatic specialists who provide technical and data-based support to health care providers.

“We’re the people who assist the physicians and nurses with the technology and the different applications they use in their clinics,” Cleanthous said.

Their work often relates to providing training and support for Providence’s electronic records system,

which essentially tracks and organizes health records, doctor and nurse actions and requests, medication and test orders.

What used to be done on paper can now be done electronically, expediting point-of-care procedures and allowing medical professionals to provide more direct, nuanced care to patients.

“There are multiple components to it, from modules for nurses’ orders, a module for surgical processes, modules for the ER and ambulatory care,” Cleanthous said. “Wherever a patient enters a Providence facility, the system connects these different modules, and that saves a lot of time for our nurses, doctors and patients.”

Informatics specialists also support the compatibility and data transfer with other electronic record systems and with software for other healthcare technologies, including certain vital monitoring and imaging systems. Security and privacy tools are also essential considerations, especially as data integration and sharing becomes more far-reaching across the industry.

Electronic record keeping also allows patients to obtain their own medical records much more easily.

“You have the ability to use the Patient Portal, where you can go online securely and see your test and lab results, x-rays and see information about your electronic health record,” Cleanthous said. “If you (the patient) then want to share that information with your

While the technology for seamless telehealth and virtual clinic appointments existed before COVID-19, the pandemic forced the industry to rapidly expand “out-of-office” health care options.

Because of this expansion, telehealth options will be a valuable option to maintain communication with many patients even in the post pandemic industry.

Missy Martin, the outpatient clinic director for Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane, said that telehealth options for certain appointments are beneficial to Shriners patients who live outside the Spokane area.

“We have patients from Montana, Idaho and as far as Alaska, and so it’s nice to have a platform where we are able to check in and evaluate patients for certain appointments,” Martin said.

“In some cases, a 15-minute visit could come with a 12-hour car ride. While we always prefer to have that in-person Shriners experience, the option allows us to maintain a level of care for those with travel barriers.”

Electronic data sharing and patient access to medical records has also allowed medical professionals to streamline care, Martin said.

“It’s those old barriers (to access) that used to create time gaps,” Martin said. “We are always looking for ways to improve our efficiency and things we can do ahead of time to make our patients’ appointments smoother.”

Technology and integrated data-keeping programs have also helped nurses and medical professionals on the frontlines of the pandemic.

“We have done work behind-the-scenes to really ease the way for caregivers,” Cleanthous said.

“Whether it was figuring out electronic tools to help nurses who are putting on all this PPE to make basic supply requests, or adding COVID test results to the use of iPads so patients and their families could communicate.”

“We also developed a program to monitor patients at home,” Cleanthous said. “If someone who came into the ER, and they weren’t sick enough to stay but needed to be monitored, we worked on a monitoring program where a patient could document (their symptoms) and our providers can do an immediate assessment.”

For new and upcoming advancements in patient care, Cleanthous said they look at how the technology can save time or make a process more efficient.

“We want our doctors and nurses to be able to provide the best care for their patients,” she said.

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 9

Not your traditional nurses

BY TRACY DAMON Marketing Correspondent

There are many pathways for nurses, including, clockwise, pre-op, flight, pediatrics, and operating rooms. Photos courtesy Shriners Hospitals.

When you think of nurses, doctor’s offices and hospitals come to mind. But more and more often, nurses are showing up in non-traditional health care settings and with varied skill sets.

The following are just a few examples of out-ofthe-ordinary nursing options.

Hospice nurse It takes a special kind of person to be a hospice nurse – someone who can deal with knowing their patients aren’t going to recover and comfortable providing end-of-life care.

Hospice nurses’ objectives are to make their patient’s last days as comfortable as possible, and the experience as low stress as possible for the patient’s family.

Hospice nurses range from those who help with assessment and admissions processes to case managers who oversee coordination of a patient’s care. Hospice visit nurses see patients either in their homes or at hospice houses or care facilities. They follow up on routine care duties, administer medications, and document all provided care. Triage nurses step in when there are emergencies or at the very end of the life journey.

While being a hospice nurse can be mentally taxing because a nurse’s contact with a patient generally ends with death, for many it is profoundly rewarding because it allows them to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.

Laura Dearth

Specialized pediatric care Unlike hospice, nurses at Shriners Hospitals for Children are almost at the opposite extreme of the care spectrum because they help to heal children. Similar to hospice nurses, though, they also put an emphasis on alleviating stress for patient’s families.

“It is 100% family oriented,” said Laura Dearth, Shriners Hospital for Children — Spokane operating room manager, Perioperative BSN, CNOR. “Shriners is very much focused on the entire family, and making sure all the needs are met, whether it is the ability to pay or make it to other appointments … that is something that is not available at any other facility.”

The Spokane-area Shriners Hospital specializes in orthopedic care for children age zero to 18 years old.

Let’s Hear It for

Our Nurses On National Nurses Week, we honor the men and women who dedicate their careers to making our hospital and our world a better place as nurses. Their unwavering commitment to providing quality care and comfort touches the lives of patients and their families every day, and we thank them for their life-saving contributions to our community.

Thank a Nurse Today!

National Nurses Week May 6- 12

“Anything bone-related or skeletal-related, we deal with,” said Dearth. “Sports medicine is also taking off big time here … we have a phenomenal scoliosis program. The surgeries that we can do here are really amazing.”

When hiring, Shriners’ managers look for pediatric medicine experience, which is often what brings prospective nurses there.

“Working with the kids is absolutely the biggest draw,” said Dearth. “The family-oriented care, the chances to really provide that allinclusive, start-to-finish, let’s-make-sure-wedo-everything-we-need-to-get-done experience.”

Nurse at Shriners Hospital

In-home health nurses Working in a patient’s home, in-home health nurses see families at their best and worst, everything from crazy morning hair to fighting siblings and spontaneous shows of affection.

This means nurses must be comfortable in the personal space of other people and accepting of a variety of cultures and lifestyles. Inhome nursing duties range from administering medication to inserting IVs, wound care, drawing labs, bathing, documenting all care and more.

School nurses Another non-health care environment that can challenge nurses is in schools. School nurses are limited by a school’s budget and resources in an environment where health care is not the primary objective.

It can be difficult for children with unmet health needs to learn, so school nurses must address physical, mental, emotional and social health needs of students, many with chronic health issues like asthma, allergies, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity or mental health issues. In addition, they are responsible for emergency treatment without medical equipment accessible at hospital or doctor’s office.

For many school nurses, though, the rewards of making a difference in a child’s life far outweigh the challenges.

Life Flight

Flight nurses Talk about an untraditional “office” setting.

“We have airplanes, helicopters, as well as ground ambulances,” said Brian Rogge, director of clinical operations and a flight nurse on the critical care transport team for Life Flight, the service that picks up people having life threatening health emergencies and transports them to area hospitals.

“You learn to do things in a way that’s not optimal but you become proficient at doing them from a weird angle or in a tight spot,” Rogge said.

In addition to working in cramped quarters, Rogge says other challenges for flight nurses include dealing with extreme heat or cold in an aircraft and spending as much, or more, time documenting care provided as actually providing medical care. But he says the exhilaration of flying and making an impact on another human’s life make those minor issues.

“We see people on the worst days of their lives. So if you get down to the fact that you’re intervening in the worst day they’ve had, it helps maintain that motion of getting that person where they need to be. You don’t even notice the cramped space or flight details.”

So if the word “nurse” makes you think of scrubs and orthopedic shoes, it’s time to update the way you think about medical care and the people supporting doctors. Nurses today come in everything from street clothes to flight suits and can be encountered almost everywhere.

“You learn to do things in a way that’s not optimal but you become proficient at doing them from a weird angle or in a tight spot.”

Brian Rogge, Life Flight director of clinical operations

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Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

On the front line Area nurses reflect on first year of providing care during COVID

Getty Images

ON THE FRONT LINE: Area nurses reflect

on first year of providing care during COVID

BY PIA HALLENBERG Marketing Correspondent It has been about a year since COVID-19 really took hold of the greater Spokane area. Few can forget when the first cases arrived and were isolated at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. At the time, no one really knew what the pandemic was going to look like, as frontline workers braced for the worst.

It was often nurses who juggled ever-changing recommendations and safety restrictions from health authorities as they began to triage very ill patients – on the phone. They did it all while worrying about their own health, their friends and their families at home.

“Nobody knew what to expect,” said Will Matney, director of nursing at CHAS Health, which has more than a dozen clinics across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. “We quickly began offering tests at most of our primary care locations, because we knew it was crucial to provide as much testing as possible.”

Community Health Association of Spokane (CHAS) serves many vulnerable populations – homeless, those who don’t have health insurance, or are housebound – regardless of the patients’ ability to pay. In 2019, CHAS saw more than 96,000 patients.

“We wanted to take care of our patients and make sure they got the same high level of care they expect from us,” Matney said.

At the same time, CHAS was asked to participate in public health efforts and stepped up to the plate to help establish the area’s first large-scale, drive-thru testing site at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.

“Nurses ran our testing sites, so we pulled a lot of nurses from actually seeing patients over to staff the testing sites,” he said. “For an organization of our size, running 10 testing sites was quite a task.”

CHAS hired more staff to meet the new demand.

Bobbi Wernz, who manages the Utilization Care Management team at CHAS, was also part of the initial response to COVID, organizing a new phone triage program.

“We took up to 600 calls a day,” Wernz said, adding that CHAS went from one phone triage nurse to nine in a very short time. “At the same time, it was sometimes hourly that we received changing directions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was a challenge to disseminate all that information to the nurses, so they knew what to say when people called in.”

Like all other medical facilities, CHAS limited the number of people who could access its clinics – a move that caused stress for patients and nurses alike, because one of CHAS’s core missions is access.

“What we do is to help patients overcome barriers they may have to gain access to healthcare,” Wernz said. “They may not have access to transportation or food, or maybe they are homeless. We completely understood and supported why things had to be different, but it was a difficult adjustment.”

At Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane, nurses and care mangers faced similar rapid-fire changes.

Shriners’ patients are children and young people who sometimes must travel far to get access to orthopedic and prosthetic services in Spokane.

A child patient and their family are assigned a care manager to help them through their stay and any return visits to Shriners.

The manager of care management at Spokane Shriners Hospital, Angie LaBreck, MSN RNC, said one of the most enjoyable parts of the care manager job usually is the close work with the family and the patient.

“Suddenly we had to limit face-to-face contact with our patients. That was really hard because some of these kiddos are our patients from birth until they turn 21,” LaBreck said. “We really get to know them and their families.”

Travel restrictions meant patients from Canada, Alaska and other states couldn’t easily visit even if they were in the middle of treatment or had follow-up visits

scheduled.

“We see patients from very far away, sometimes as far as Mexico and Central America,” she said. “Now, even many of our kiddos from Canada can’t come down here, and Alaska has very tough travel restrictions.”

Travel restrictions added yet another layer of stress to a family that was already concerned about a sick child, and sometimes regulation changes made everything confusing. Mandatory testing for COVID before surgery meant one more hospital visit for the family, and if the test proved positive, surgery had to be postponed.

“Sometimes I didn’t know if what I told my families one day would still be accurate the next,” LaBreck said of the early and most stressful days of COVID. Shriners never completely shut down but LaBreck said they severely limited access for siblings and family members to the hospital: one parent was the only person admitted.

“Those were very difficult conversations to have,” she said. “How do you tell a parent that they can’t be with their child? Or a single parent that they can’t bring any siblings to the hospital? It was tough.”

LaBreck added that many nurses at Shriners have families and children at home so they, too, felt the impact and stress brought on by school closures and remote work schedules that turned everything upsidedown.

“We had to find new resources and build better community relationships. COVID pushed us to be more creative as we look out for the health of our patients.”

Angie LaBreck, MSN RNC, Shriners Hospital Spokane Though Shriners nurses rarely had any frontline interaction with COVID patients, the pandemic changed everything at the hospital, often exhausting nurses and staff.

“We try to take good care of one another,” LaBreck said about how nurses supported each other, especially in those early days. “It may be hard to ask for help, but we have sort of a buddy system where we tell each other that I will look out for you, if you look out for me.”

Telehealth is here to stay As in-person visits with doctors and nurses became more and more restricted, many providers and clinics had no choice but to turn to telehealth if possible. That’s something that’s been on the horizon for many health organizations, but few had a program already up and running.

“In some ways you could say we were simply forced to do it,” said Wernz, from CHAS’s Utilization Care Management Team.

Since CHAS has many patients who lack transportation or have other barriers for actually going to a clinic, telehealth proved very successful.

“I’d say it’s almost like it has created a better avenue for us to connect with these patients,” said Matney, director of nursing at CHAS. At Shriners Hospital for Children in Spokane, LaBreck said telehealth evolved quickly. Shriners does assessment clinics in remote areas and she said they are beginning to do some clinics completely via telehealth.

“Because of the huge geographical area we serve, I hope telehealth will stay around,” LaBreck said. “It’s been on the radar in medicine for a long time, but the

pandemic really pushed us to use it.”

She added that not every appointment is suitable for telehealth – orthopedic surgery, for instance requires, hands-on follow-up visits – but for other follow-ups, it’s fine.

“We can easily do a wound check via telehealth and that means a family doesn’t have to travel here,” LaBreck said.

Shriners now triages every patient and case to see if it’s appropriate for telehealth.

“We had to get pretty creative about how we could best take care of our patients,” she said.

In the middle of the stress and pressure of working as a nurse during a global pandemic, LaBreck said COVID has made nurses even more adaptable.

“We had to find new resources and build better community relationships,” she said. “And we did.

COVID pushed us to be more creative as we look out for the health of our patients.”

Nurses work very closely with each other and they experience trauma every single day. Trained to look out for others, it’s sometimes difficult for nurses to recognize their own escalating needs for a break because the patient always comes first.

“We did what we had to do, because that’s what nurses do,” said CHAS’ Wernz. “Even when it’s a complete unknown we stand up to it and we take it on, and we figure it out. That’s what we do.”

Nurses Week - A Supplement to the Spokesman-Review

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SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Jenna Hall, RN, Critical Care, Kootenai Health How long have you worked here?

It will be 7 years in July.

What do you like about where you work?

There are a number of things I like about working at Kootenai. I love that this hospital continues to grow to meet the demands of this growing community. We want people to be able to have their health care needs met close to home and Kootenai is growing to be able to meet that need. I also love the community feel of this hospital. People that work here, enjoy working here.

I work with a great team that shows up every day to provide excellent care to their patients. I was born in “the Big Blue Hospital” (Kootenai Medical Center) and now I get to work in it to serve the community I grew up in. I felt honored to have the opportunity to come back to Coeur d’ Alene after obtaining my degree and work in this regional medical center. I love the team that I get to work with. I have so much respect for my co-workers as they are smart and hardworking; they push me to be the best nurse I can be.

How long have you been a nurse?

My entire nursing career has been at Kootenai Health.

Where did you study?

I went to nursing school at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

It challenges me every day. I work in the ICU and am learning all the time. I love being in a work environment that pushes me to continue to learn. I love that this role is ever-evolving. Medicine is always changing based on best evidence, so our practice is ever changing to provide evidence based care. My personal role is also always evolving: I started as a bedside nurse. With gaining experience I began taking more challenging patients, undergoing different and complex procedures. Now, I am a charge nurse in the ICU where I am able to support my co-workers, which is an honor. I am also in graduate school to further advance my nursing career. Being a nurse is never stagnant, it is always evolving.

me; simple lab draws made me feel uneasy. After my senior project, I realized social work wasn’t for me and landed on nursing as a practical decision. There is job opportunity and job security. Now that I am a nurse, it feels serendipitous. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I am now in graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. I love this profession, I love the opportunities I have personally and I love being able to help patients in the community I grew up in.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

I would want people to know that we are on their team. Being sick and hospitalized, or even a routine procedure can be stressful; this stress can create defensiveness or an “us vs. them” feeling. I want people to know that we are on the same team, we are there for them, and we really do care. We are the advocates for the patient.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

To be very honest, I didn’t know I wanted to be a nurse at first. I wanted to be a social worker like my sister. I didn’t think the medical field was right for

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Bobbi Wernz, Utilization Team, CHAS Health What do you do?

Our Utilization Management team focuses on patients with chronic conditions who have gaps in care and barriers to receiving health care. We engage with the patient to assess the needs and provide resources, education, reminders and help them overcome the barriers so they can better manage their conditions and have better health outcomes. We work directly with patients, families, caregivers, providers and other members of the community and care team. Our ultimate goal is to improve the health and quality of life for our patients and our community.

How long have you been a nurse?

I have been a nurse for 24 years.

How long have you worked at CHAS Health?

Two years.

What do you like about where you work?

I am proud to be a part of a community organization that values all people as equal and is committed to caring for everyone regardless of status or ability to pay. I appreciate working in a culture of support and learning. Where we all aim for the best outcomes and work as a team to help our community.

Where did you study?

I received my ADN at Spokane Community College and am now working on my master’s degree in nursing through Western Governors University.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I love the ability to help people make a difference in their health and quality of life. I also like helping the community and improving population health.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

I wanted to be a nurse since I was a small child. I have always been a nurturer and taken care of others so it came naturally to me.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

That one can do so much as nurse. There is a wide variety of roles and specialties encompassing nursing.

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May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 13

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Jan Yoder, RN, BSN, Spokane Regional Health District

Thirty-three years.

understands their newborn’s communication, hearing their pride when baby meets another developmental milestone with their encouragement, walking alongside as they set goals and make changes for themselves and their families. Public health looks at how social determinants of health impact families. It looks at how trauma can affect parenting. It looks at the need for particular services to be available in the community to help families and their children thrive.

Where did you study?

Why did you want to be a nurse?

How long have you worked here?

Twenty-three years.

What do you like about where you work? I work with a wonderful group of dedicated, compassionate, intelligent, creative nurses who believe that what we do can make a difference in the lives of many.

How long have you been a nurse?

Whitworth University, Eastern Washington University and Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education, now called WSU College of Nursing.

What do you most like about being a nurse?

Nursing combines my love of science and love of people. I love working in public health as a home visiting nurse with pregnant women and their children and families. It involves empowering families to understand their health and make informed decisions.

I love seeing the “a ha!” moments when a parent

I think my parents thought that would be a good career for me when they gave me Nurse Barbie when I was six. But it did not gel until after I had done some international travel and had met some nurses. I saw in the nursing profession the opportunity to work closely with people using a solid foundation of science and a heart of compassion.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Not all nurses work with blood and guts! Nursing

work involves many different areas and levels of education. We so appreciate all the nurses who work at the bedside, especially as we come through this pandemic. However, others work in research or in public policy, some in case management, some in home health or schools and still others in independent practice. Sometimes employers do not understand what all is involved. They do not recognize the strength, education, compassion, intelligence, critical thinking, and the ability to translate complex concepts into those that are more easily understood that is required. Consequently, nurses often aren’t treated with much respect and the pay may be dismal. Some nurses stay and work because they are passionate about what they do and see the positive changes that can happen. The one thing that is constant is change and we must keep up to date with continuing education and with technology. Nursing is both an art and a science.

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SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Renee Dover, Kaiser Permanente How long have you worked here?

I’ve worked at Kaiser Permanente since 2017.

What do you like about where you work?

The top three things I like about KP are that my leadership team/manager challenges, supports, and encourages me from the smallest to greatest initiatives; we set an experience standard of how we treat patients and co-workers that is “Respect Me/Know Me/Guide Me”; and my amazing Patient Care Support Center (PCSC) staff, which began in February 2020 to focus on incoming calls, so patient care issues could be addressed immediately and with a real local person.

How long have you been a nurse?

Six years.

Where did you study?

Spokane Community College.

Jennifer Bergstrom, Kaiser Permanente

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I like that nursing opens the door to many career opportunities. It is a privilege to care for patients. It is a privilege to meet patients right where they are and encourage them to take the next best step in their health journey. You never stop learning as a nurse – there is always new, always change.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

My grandmother, mother and several aunts are nurses – that may have planted the seed! The world can be a better place if we care for each other, that is my passion. I feel grateful that my passion and profession have collided!

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Nursing provides many career paths … direct patient care, quality initiatives, transitions of care, teaching, and leadership to name a few.

How long have you worked here?

I’ve worked at Kaiser Permanente since 2017.

What do you like about where you work?

I appreciate the teamwork attitude fostered by Kaiser Permanente, as well as the opportunities for additional education and skill development. We have great providers who are very approachable and willing to problemsolve. I like my co-workers; we have a close-knit group and everyone is willing to help each other.

How long have you been a nurse?

Thirteen years.

Where did you study?

North Idaho College for my Associate Degree in Nursing and Western Governors University for my Bachelor degree in Nursing.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

I enjoy teaching and making a difference in people’s lives.

SPOTLIGHT ON NURSES

Laura Dearth, Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane

How long have you worked here?

Almost three years.

What do you like about where you work?

I love working with children and seeing how we positively impact their lives and the lives of their families.

How long have you been a nurse?

I have been a nurse for 17 years and have worked in health care for 25 years.

Where did you study?

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

There are so many things I love about being a nurse.

I love getting to interact with so many different individuals, patients, families and staff. I love being able to ease both patients and their family’s anxiety, by providing education about the procedures they are having done and helping to set realistic expectations of what they are going to experience. I love that I

get to think critically and use my voice to provide feedback and promote change and growth within the organization and nursing profession. I ultimately love the variety of roles and specialties that are in nursing.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

I have always wanted to be a nurse, for as far back as I can remember. I am a “mother hen” and I just want to take care of others. Being a nurse allows me to do this in so many ways.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Nurses are the heart and soul of medicine. We provide so much more to each patient than ever seen.

We are the patient advocate when the patient doesn’t even know they need an advocate. We push to affect growth and change within our profession and have phenomenal evidence-based procedures that are the basis for most medical processes.

Why did you want to be a nurse?

It was a natural progression for me.

I have always taken care of animals and people. Worked in lots of different caregiver roles. In 2006, one of my employers offered to pay for nursing school if I was accepted to the nursing program. It was just the push I needed to continue my education. I graduated in 2008. It was the best decision I have ever made.

What’s something you wish people could know more about the role of nurses?

Nurses are so important for patients.

Nurses interpret information from providers, labs, pharmacy, therapies and are able explain it to patients in a way they can understand. They are advocates, teachers and cheerleaders.

I’ve worked in home health, hospital and primary settings – you are able to see the challenges at each intersection, which helped prepared me to be perfectly suited for this position.

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May 5, 2021 • Wednesday • Page 15

Jennifer Graves, Kaiser Permanente Washington (Courtesy Kaiser Permanente)

Nurses are always needed: Employment outlook encouraging

BY KATE A. MINER Marketing Correspondent “There were many silver linings for nurses in 2020,” said Jennifer Graves, RN, vice president of Quality and Control for Kaiser Permanente Washington. “In every aspect we saw nurses stepping up as leaders and passively changing the face of health care in Washington.”

According to the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies, there were more than 90,000 registered nurses working in Washington as of March 2020.

Traditionally, nurses have been primarily hospital-based, but have gradually expanded into every aspect of health care. Some work in public health; some nurse practitioners work independently, administering anesthesia or delivering babies.

“This year nurses took a huge lead in our communities,” said Susan Stacy, chief nursing officer at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

Nurses were also at the forefront of telehealth and virtual consultations. In public health especially there has been a shift away from direct services to more community-based programs.

“It is important to remember that public health programs, even community-based ones, serve a high-risk population,” said Susan Schultz, Nurse-Family Partnership program manager for the Spokane Regional Health District. “The health of our clients and their families is impacted by social issues like poverty, mental health, substance use, homelessness and more. Public health nurses meet their clients where they are, providing support, education, and addressing many of these inequities.”

DEMAND FOR SKILLED NURSING As the region’s population continues to grow, so does the need for quality nursing.

“A few decades ago, nurses were ‘just the caretaker’ of the patient; they are now very much part of the patient care team,” says Karen Mattern, human resources director for Shriners Hospitals for Children in Spokane.

Nursing tends to be a life-long career, and many nurses stay

past retirement age. The job is also becoming more complex, requiring strong assessment skills and critical decision-making.

Most nurses now train while students. They are part of care teams in specialized units and operate at the top of their license in every capacity. Both Providence Health Care and Kaiser Permanente have working relationships with Washington State University, helping to shape its nursing curriculum.

“Nursing students can start working part time while still in school as nurse technicians.

Bringing nursing students in as employees provides opportunities for training on the job, and encourages leadership skills,” said Kaiser Permanente’s Graves.

took training on contact tracing.

We have helped staff programs impacted negatively when staff was quarantined due to COVID exposure, and many volunteered to assist with immunizations and testing in adult family homes and homeless shelters,” said Schultz from Spokane Regional Health.

COVID changed everything, said Susan Stacy from Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

“Prior to the pandemic, 90% of our primary care was delivered virtually. Consolidated care locations, hubs, provided virtual care over the phone, primarily by nurses. Nurses became the front door to primary care.”

There were several shifts in the industry due to COVID. The need for nursing escalated, over 15% higher than the previous decade.

Some nurses opted for higherpaying travel assignments or took leave due to health considerations within their family. Many left due to burnout, and some who were close to retirement decided to take this step.

Although nurses are in demand around the country, many choose to remain in the Inland Northwest.

To retain nurses, many say employers must show they’re listened to, help their nurses grow and provide a competitive wage.

“It’s important that nurses have a shared voice in all decisions,” explained Graves from Kaiser Permanente. “We need to recognize the importance of their vital and integral positions within all care situations, provide them with opportunities for development, and pay for training.”

Bryan Fix, chief human resources officer for Providence Health Care, said there’s no end of opportunities in nursing.

“An aging nursing population may find acute care taxing and emotional, so they move to care coordination, telehealth, case management or education. There are multiple ways to utilize skills and interests,” he said.

As the need for skilled nursing grows, wages have followed.

A full-time, newly graduated nurse can start at over $65,000 a year, and many urban or even rural areas offer sign-on bonuses and relocation packages. Pay increases can take place annually, and with certifications nurses can receive more.

Nurses practicing more than 10 years average $90,000 or more annually, and with more than 20 years, over $100,000.

One exception, however, is the public health field. Although prominent in the COVID world, the profession is considered underpaid.

“Public health nurses in Spokane receive significantly lower pay than those working for the hospital systems,” said Schultz, Spokane Regional Health. “If we want to maintain a workforce and actively recruit new staff, this needs to be addressed. Yet, public health nursing is an amazing and everchanging field. In my opinion, people choose this work not for money but for the impact on the community and especially vulnerable families.”

AREAS OF NEED Certain skills and specialties are in high demand for hospitals everywhere, such as surgical, critical care (emergency room), neo-natal and cardiac care.

In 2020, a few subject areas took center stage: nurses with experience in infection prevention and environmental safety.

Keeping health care facilities safe from infection has now become a significant aspect of all health care.

Another in-demand specialty is care managers who help patients manage transition of care, such as those with chronic illnesses or recovery.

Karen Mattern, human resources director, Shriners Hospitals for Children Spokane One of the (Courtesy Shriners Hospital) biggest areas where nurses have been crucial THE FUTURE OF NURSING was in the community with public In the Spokane area, nurse health nurses at the forefront of a applicants come from other historic pandemic. health care facilities in the region, “COVID-19 changed the way internal programs that utilize we do our jobs. Nurses have been nurses, regional nursing schools, required to obtain additional or from out of state, such as those training to assist with the agency relocating for quality of life/ response to COVID. We all family reasons.

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