citizensmemorial.com 5 CMH NEWS Four Bolivar Technical College students who graduated in December 2022 are the first cohort to complete Citizens Memorial Hospital’s new LPN/R.N. apprenticeship program. “I am so proud of these students and am excited to see them working for CMH after graduation,” says Heather Mills, MSN, R.N., clinical coordinator at CMH. “They have been able to gain additional experience while also being paid for doing their clinicals.” The four graduates—Rachael Hargus, Adam Kinnard, Chanceler Pemberton and Taylor Townsend— began as apprentices in June 2022. “It offered the perfect opportunity to be able to work and show the community what I was made of,” Pemberton says. “It is a good program to see where you want to work when done with school.” The apprentices gain experience at the hospital, clinics and longterm care facilities. Kinnard already worked for CMH before starting the apprenticeship program and saw the program as an opportunity to work at other facilities and help facilitate a transition into another department. “There are better opportunities to network and possibly slide into a position in any given department,” Kinnard says. Erin Mock, director of nursing education at BTC, worked with CMH staff to develop the program that she says is “out-of-the-box thinking and like no other.” “When a student learns the people and the culture of the organization, they are truly able to improve each clinical day and at every patient contact because they are not concerned about trying to find things or learn new policies from week to week,” Mock says. “This makes better nursing students and, therefore, better graduate nurses.” As apprentices, student nurses at CMH are paid while completing clinical hours, and students are eligible to work shifts in a long-term care facility or the hospital. The students agree to work for CMH after the apprenticeship. CMH also has started the yearlong R.N. residency program that provides additional training and support for licensed registered nurses with less than 12 months of experience. The first cohort began in June 2022 and will graduate in May 2023. About CMH’s nurse apprenticeship and internship programs Citizens Memorial Hospital supports new nurses through our Nurse Residency Program and LPN/R.N. apprenticeships. CMH staff help new nurses and student nurses navigate the transition from student to professional nurse by building confidence and providing hands-on experiences. Nurse residency program The one-year paid nurse residency program helps new graduates experience the transition from students to confident bedside nurses. A community of experienced nurses surrounds the residents. Our goal is to ensure that the new graduate nurse never feels alone. LPN/R.N. apprenticeship program This earn-as-you-learn program, in partnership with area nursing programs, creates an exceptional clinical experience for pre-licensure professional nursing and practical nursing students. They work and are paid as student nurses while enrolled in the nursing education program. The student nurse receives academic credit toward clinical requirements. LEARN MORE about these programs at cmhbolivar.info/3QqvCxs. First cohort completes CMH nurse apprenticeships Adam Kinnard, Rachael Hargus, Taylor Townsend and Chanceler Pemberton are the first cohort of nursing students from Bolivar Technical College to complete LPN nurse apprenticeships at Citizens Memorial Hospital.
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