Deaconess Health launching nurse apprenticeship program
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Evansville-based Deaconess Health Systems is working to address an ongoing nursing shortage in southwest Indiana with the launch of the new Deaconess Nurse Apprenticeship program.
In partnership with Ivy Tech Community College and the Southwest Indiana Workforce Board, the program aims to provide apprentices with on-the-job and classroom training while earning a wage as they start their nursing careers.
Ami Lloyd, nurse apprenticeship program coordinator for Deaconess, says the program has been in the planning stages for the past year and is set to launch in the fall semester.
“[We want to] make sure that we are recruiting the best nurses from our community, but also work with what we have in our community,” Lloyd said. “We have incredible nursing programs in the community, one of them being [at] Ivy Tech. And the demand would be that not only would we have students that work here locally, they go to school here locally, but it would just be a really great fit for these students.”
Deaconess said the program allows students to start their career with little to no debt and earn an apprenticeship certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The program will be made available to five Ivy Tech students who begin nursing school this fall. Students will receive on-the-job training at a Deaconess facility for up to 20 hours per week, earning a wage that will increase as they complete certain competencies essential for registered nurses, Lloyd said.
While working at Deaconess, each student will be paired with a dedicated registered nurse preceptor, who will serve as a mentor while they learn on the jobs.
“This increases their self confidence, which, in the end, increases a positive patient experience. It decreases time that they need to be in orientation after they graduate and are in that new grad nurse role,” Lloyd said. “It increases retention…[and] will definitely decrease turnover costs and then increase socialization with other nurses on the unit.”
The apprenticeship will conclude once the student completes all coursework and clinical hours and graduate with an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and accept a graduate nurse role with Deaconess.
“Deaconess’ continued focus on workforce development ensures that its teams remain well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of patients and the broader healthcare industry,” Valerie Schmidt, business services manager with the Southwest Indiana Workforce Board, said in written remarks. “Through innovative programs and forward-thinking strategies, Deaconess remains a trusted partner in building a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce.”
While the apprenticeship program is still in its infancy, Lloyd said she believes there is a huge potential for growth, and Deaconess has a goal of bringing the program to other nursing schools in the area.
“As we have new nurses coming in, it’s not just about making sure that they are competent; that’s obviously the number one priority. But Deaconess is a home. It’s a community. It’s a family,” she said. “So when they graduate, we want to make sure that they feel like they’re part of a family. And other nurses will want to work here as well.”