Rome Health was awarded the Claire Murray Best Practices Award at the NYONL annual meeting and leadership conference for its innovative strategies to prepare and support new nurses as they transition from the classroom to the bedside. The award, sponsored by New York Organization for Nursing Leadership, recognizes continued achievements in transforming nursing and patient care.
More than 80 applicants submitted abstracts for consideration and Rome Health’s abstract was one of six selected for an award.
The abstract was prepared by Chief Nursing Officer VP Clinical Services Ashley Edwards and Transitions to Practice and Extern Program Director McKayla Turnbull.
“At Rome Health, we created the nurse extern program for senior student nurses to foster resiliency and clinical excellence,” Edwards said. “Physical and emotional burnout are lead contributors to newly licensed nurse turnover. Job stress, lack of support, inadequate training, work-life balance and low job satisfaction all contribute to burnout.”
“Retention rates double for new nurses that participate in the extern program,” Edwards said, citing retention rates of 80 to 100 percent since 2021 for externs. “At Rome Health, we are committed to setting people up for success and fostering ongoing professional development throughout their career.”
According to Turnbull, the extern program takes a multidisciplinary approach at the student nurse level, through improved support systems, early exposure to the healthcare setting, and a robust training program that promotes a foundation of resiliency.