Nursing Professional Development & Education
Highest Standard of Nursing Excellence
Our continued dedication to quality care is why St. Elizabeth Healthcare has achieved ANCC Magnet Recognition® at our Edgewood, Covington, Grant, Florence, and Ft. Thomas campuses. It is a reminder of the standard we work to not only continually achieve but surpass. We are proud and honored to be recognized for our nursing excellence and are grateful for our indispensable team. Learn more about our professional development & education opportunities at St. Elizabeth.
The Nurse Residency Transition Program, accredited as a Practice Transitions Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, is an RN residency program for any new graduate nurse with less than one year of nursing experience designed to assist in transitioning from student nurse to professional nurse. This program provides new graduates with education, support and follow-up during their first year of employment.
Incorporating Benner’s “Novice to Expert Model” and focusing on evidence-based practice and research to prepare new graduate nurses for their new environment, the Nurse Residency Transition Program is a one-year program designed to improve confidence, competence, critical thinking, prioritization, communication and leadership.
Our curriculum incorporates multiple teaching strategies to meet the needs of new graduate nurses, including didactic, skills stations, simulation, unit-based clinical experience with an education specialist, as well as an assigned unit preceptor and ongoing support throughout the first year. Unit preceptors are offered specific training in the preceptor role, which includes developing critical thinking skills, giving meaningful feedback, adapting to the learning styles of adults and understanding generational differences.
The Clinical Ladder Program recognizes and rewards professional development of nursing experience from novice to expert while retaining nursing expertise at the bedside and enhancing quality care.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare offers multiple nursing fellowships for those seeking advanced clinical experience, tailored to specific interests and learning needs.
Intensive Care Unit Fellowship
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse Fellowship program is an opportunity to for both new and experienced RNS who are interested in a career in critical care. The fellowship begins with 6 classes of didactic education and 9 labs of simulation scenarios, followed by an approximately 6-month clinical orientation, under the guidance of a skilled preceptor. Through this program, RNs will learn how to function in the critical care nurse roles and will develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed. RNs will receive comprehensive training in intensive care skills and learn critical thinking skills to identify, plan and provide individualized patient care.
Perioperative Fellowship
The Perioperative Nurse Fellowship program is an opportunity for both new graduate and experienced RNs who are interested in a career in the operating room. The fellowship begins with 4 weeks of didactic education both in the classroom and in simulation labs, followed by a 5-month clinical orientation, under the guidance of a skilled preceptor. Through this program, RNs will learn how to function in the circulator and scrub nurse roles.
Emergency Department Fellowship
The Emergency Department Nurse Fellowship program is an opportunity for both new graduate and experienced RNs who are interested in a career in the Emergency Department. The fellowship begins with 2 days of didactic education in the classroom and simulation labs, followed by a 4-6-month clinical orientation and monthly didactic classroom and simulation education, under the guidance of a skilled preceptor. Through this program, participants will learn how to function in the primary Emergency Department nurse role. RNs will also learn to care for critical patients that arrive to the Emergency Department through exposure to cardiac arrest, precipitous delivery and intraosseous review.
Endoscopy Fellowship
The Endoscopy Nurse Fellowship (ENF) program is an opportunity for RNs with at least one year of acute care experience who are interested in a career in endoscopy. This fellowship begins with 8 days of didactic education in the classroom, clinical and simulation labs, followed by a 4-month clinical orientation, under the guidance of a skilled preceptor. Through this program, participants will learn how to function in the pre-procedure, phase I and phase II recovery roles, as well as the procedural assistant and circulator roles. RNs will also learn endoscope reprocessing.
Research Fellowship
The Research Nurse Fellowship program is an opportunity for both new graduate and experienced RNs who are interested conducting research and have a research topic in mind. The fellowship begins with 6 days of didactic education in the classroom, followed by a 1-2-year research study, in which participants will meet with a skilled preceptor for guidance as they create and submit a research proposal, complete data analysis and submit the study for publication. Through this program, participants will learn the research process as well as how to conduct a research study.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Perioperative Institute, in affiliation with Northern Kentucky University, offers The Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) Program based on the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Core Curriculum. This program provides RNs and APRNs with the preparation necessary to assume the role of the first assistant in operative and invasive procedure.
St. Elizabeth has offered educational cohorts for several years to assist nurses to complete their BSN or MSN degrees. These are special programs offered periodically which allow a group of SEH nurses to begin and end their studies together with the goal of completing either a BSN or MSN degree.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare encourages our nurses to earn certifications in their area of expertise. Our nurses demonstrate their mastery of skills, knowledge and abilities as they progress along the continuum of life-long learning by earning National Nursing Certifications in their specialties.
FailSafe
St. Elizabeth Healthcare participates in the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) FailSafe program, which enables nurses to take either the Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) or Certified in Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCCTM) credential with no cost for the nurse. St. Elizabeth pays the exam fee for the nurse.
Success Pays
St. Elizabeth Healthcare offers the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Success Pays™, which provides nurses two chances to pass ANCC eligible certification exams. St. Elizabeth covers the cost for the certification once the nurse passes the exam.
Take 2
St. Elizabeth participates in the CNOR Exam Take 2 program, which allows perioperative nurses who meet Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) eligibility requirements to take the CNOR exam twice in a 12-month period if the first attempt is unsuccessful.
Certification Value Program
To help more nurses become certified, AACN offers hospital-based employers substantial savings and free review courses to support their exam candidates through a prepaid certification exam voucher program. The Certification Value Program allows employees to sit for the CCRN, PCCN, CMC, or CSC certifications for free with the use of a voucher.
Frontline
St. Elizabeth’s Frontline Impact Program is a professional development program offered to allow participants to grow through project development, apply critical thinking skills, participate in Frontline Impact workshops, and establish frontline leadership skills.
Yes You Can!
The Emergency Department nurses at St. Elizabeth Healthcare can earn certifications in their area of expertise through the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing by using the Yes YOU Can! Voucher program. The vouchers can be used for any of the specialty certifications which include Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN), and Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) exams.
Test Assured
For preanesthesia and postanesthesia nurses, St. Elizabeth Healthcare participates in the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification (ABPANC) voucher program, Test Assured. Test Assured allows eligible nurses to take the CPAN or CAPA certification exam at no cost to the nurse. If the nurse does not pass the exam on their first attempt, they can take exam for an additional time with Test Assured.
Freetake
For oncology nurses, St. Elizabeth participates in the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) FreeTake Program. The ONCC FreeTake is a program that allows eligible nurses to take the OCN, AOCNP, CBCN, CPHON, or BMTCN certification at no cost to the nurse. If the nurse does not pass the exam on their first attempt, they can retake the test one time for free.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare encourages associates to further their education. Nurses at St. Elizabeth Healthcare interested in continuing education may receive tuition reimbursement.
St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center (SETEC) is a facility dedicated to providing education and professional development to our associates and community partners, with more than 24,000 square feet dedicated to simulation education.
Initial and ongoing educational opportunities include:
- Corporate Orientation
- Nursing, Nurse Extern and Clerical Orientation
- Multi-disciplinary Education
- Nurse Residency Transition Program
- Annual Mandatory Education
- Simulation Programs: unit specific skills days, interprofessional training, and in situ drills
- Unit Based Educators
- AHA Training Center: BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications
- Continuing Education Programs (with contact hours for licensure renewal)
- Nursing and Allied Health School Clinical Placement
- Teen Volunteer Training
- Health Career Programs
- Leadership Academy
