ON THIS EPISODE OF CYCLE OF HEALTH, NURSING TODAY.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS PUT INTENSE PRESSURE ON NURSES AND IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY REASONS FOR THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE IN THE PROFESSION.

JOIN US AS WE TALK WITH FOUR NURSES ON THE FRONTLINES ABOUT THE STRATEGIES IN PLACE TO REVERSE THAT TREND AND MUCH MORE.

COMING UP ON CYCLE OF HEALTH.

♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DOCTOR RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT'S TOPIC, NURSING TODAY IT'S NO SECRET THAT NURSES, THE FRONTLINE HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC, HAVE FACED MUCH ADVERSITY OVER THE LAST TWO PLUS YEARS.

AN AGING WORKFORCE, INTENSE STRESS, AND BURNOUT HAVE LED TO A CRITICAL SHORTAGE IN THE PROFESSION.

IN FACT, THE AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION ESTIMATES THAT MORE REGISTERED NURSING JOBS WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH 2022 THAN ANY OTHER PROFESSION IN THE US.

TONIGHT, WE'LL TALK WITH FOUR NURSES ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THIS ESSENTIAL PROFESSION.

LET'S MEET OUR GUESTS.

THEY ARE: YURI PASHCHUK, CHIEF NURSING OFFICER AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH NANCY POOLE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF NURSING JOSEPH'S HEALTH AND JOSEPH DOOLITTLE, REGISTERED NURSE AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH JOSEPH AND ST. JOSEPH.

THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU, DOES IT?

>> NO.

>> WELL, MY MOM WAS A NURSE.

SHE TRAINED IN THE 30s IN SOUTH DAK.

AND HER PROGRAM WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS LONG AS I REMEMBER.

AND I IMAGINE THE PROFESSION HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT SINCE THEN.

HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?

>> IT'S SPEAK TO ST. JOE'S COLLEGE OF NURSING.

THERE USED TO BE A DIPLOMA PROGRAM AT THE COLLEGE AND IT'S NOW A COLLEGE.

IT ALSO HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH LeMOYNE COLLEGE WHERE IT'S A 1, 2 AND 1 PROGRAM.

AND I THINK NURSING HAS EVOLVED INTO A LOT MORE ADVANCED DEGREES.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO PURSUE YOUR EDUCATION MORE.

AND I KNOW THE HOSPITAL, FOR MAGNET STATUS, WE HAVE TO HAVE BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

WE HAVE TELEY GRADS.

WE HAVE A TIMEFRAME TO GET THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE HIGHER EDUCATION.

SO IT HAS CHANGED.

IT'S NOT JUST THE DIPLOMA AND YOU START WORKING AS A NURSE.

THERE IS MANY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PATHS THEY CAN TAKE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

>> IN FACT, I SAW ON YOUR BADGE, YOU HAVE A Ph.D. IS THAT IN NURSING?

>> YES.

>> YOU ARE ACTUALLY Dr. NURSE: COOL.

>> I THINK THE EVOLUTION IT PRONOUNCED.

I THINK ALL OF US HERE ON THIS PANEL HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WORK IN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL.

BUT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW, 60 YEARS AGO, GRADUATED FROM THE NURSING SCHOOL, AT THAT TIME, ST. JOSEPH'S NURSING SCHOOL.

>> IT HAS BEEN AROUND THAT LONG, WOW.

>> IT HAS.

>> 30 YEARS LATER, I GRADUATED FROM THAT PROGRAM.

AND THEN MY DAUGHTER IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM.

>> WONDERFUL.

>> SO THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY, THE EDUCATION REQUIRED TO BE A COMPETENT NURSE, CERTAINLY HAS EVOLVED.

BUT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW ACTUALLY JUST RETIRED AFTER 60 YEARS.

SO SHE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE TRANSITIONS AND CHANGES AND KEEP UP WITH THAT.

>> CONTINUING ED DURING HER CAREER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS KIND OF FUN TO SEE THE GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE PIECES COMING TOGETHER IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ALL WITHIN THE NURSING PROFESSION AND THAT COMMONALITY.

>> I DON'T THINK EDUCATION EVER ENDS WITH NURSING.

I THINK YOU ARE CONSTANTLY LEARNING AND EVOLVING, BUT I THINK THE MINIMAL CRITERIA NOWADAYS SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE WANT FOR THEIR DEGREE FOR NURSING IS A MINIMAL BACHELOR'S.

ST. JOE'S DOES HAVE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM.

I SHOULD MENTION THAT.

SO WHAT IS NICE ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH LeMOYNE, THEY DO THEIR FIRST YEAR AT LeMOYNE BUT AFTER TWO YEARS, THEY CAN SIT AND GET THEIR BOARDS, THEIR LICENSE, SO THEY CAN WORK AND CONTINUE ON TO THEIR FOURTH YEAR, WHICH IS THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND WE HAVE AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM FOR OUR EVENING AND WEEKEND OPTION.

THESE ARE RNs THAT ALREADY HAVE-- THEY'RE NOT RNs.

THEY ALREADY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY WANT TO GET THEIR RN SO THEY'RE GOING AT THE SAME TIME FOR 18 MONTHS AT ST. JOE'S AND LeMOYNE, SO THEY JUST TAKE MAJOR COURSES THAT ARE PREVALENT TO THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN NURSING AND THEY TAKE THE 18 MONTHS, IT'S INTENSE.

THEY TAKE THE NURSING, CORE NURSING COURSES.

SO WHEN THEY'RE DONE... >> THESE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, MAYBE TOTALLY ANOTHER FIELD.

>> IT COULD BE IN ANYTHING.

>> YES.

>> AND THEN THEY COME TO YOU AND YOU TUNE THEM UP AND ADD IN THE NURSING PART.

>> YES.

THE TWO YEAR PROGRAM FOR AN ASSOCIATE IS PUT INTO 18 MONTHS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE STUDENTS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING EVENING CLASSES AT LeMOYNE AND WORKING FULL TIME.

MORE OF YOUR ADULT LEARNERS, YOU KNOW, SECOND CAREER CHANGE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

SO THAT'S NICE WHEN THEY COME UP THEY HAVE A B.S.N.

>> I GRADUATED IN 2020 DOING THE WEEKEND PROGRAM.

>> YEAH.

>> YEP.

>> YOU KNOW, DESCRIBE WORKING IN NURSING AT ST. JOEs DURING THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT HAS THIS THE BEEN LIKE?

>> SO, RICH, I HAD THE UNIQUE PLEASURE OF LEADING OUR NURSES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC WHILE OVERSEEING OUR MEDICAL SURGICAL SERVICE LINE.

MY BACKGROUND CONSISTS OF EXPERIENCE IN DISASTER MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE WHICH GAVE ME A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE IN HOW TO MANAGE THE PANDEMIC.

I FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD A FLEXIBLE AND DYNAMIC WORK ENVIRONMENT WITH OUR COLLEAGUES TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS COMING.

WE NEVER REALLY GRASPED THE VOLUME OF PATIENTS WE WOULD SEE, THE ACUITY OF PATIENTS WE WOULD SEE.

WE NEEDED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.

AND SIMILAR TO WHAT NANCY SPOKE ABOUT, THE DIFFICULT NAMMICS AND FLEXIBILITY OF THE NURSING PROFESSION REALLY ALLOWED US TO BE PREPARED FOR WHAT WE WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE WERE IN IT, THE DYNAMICS.

THE WORKFORCE REALLY WAS WHAT STABILIZED OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTED US THROUGH AND WHILE WE SAW HIGH NUMBERS ARE PATIENTS, HIGH NUMBERS OF LOVED ONES THAT NEEDED OUR CARE, OUR WORKFORCE, WHAT WAS REALLY THAT LED US THROUGH, THE NURSES AND THEIR FLEXIBILITY, THEIR ABILITY TO PIVOT AND ADJUST GOT US THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST TUMULTUOUS TIMES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE-- WE ALL WENT FROM DOTE TOTAL UNKNOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC-- I UNDERSTAND, JOE, YOU WERE A STUDENT AT THE TIME, YES, WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?

>> SO I WAS AN AIDE ON THE CVIC AT THE TIME.

STILL IN SCHOOL.

I REMEMBER HEARING ON THE NEWS ABOUT COVID HITTING NEW YORK CITY, HITTING CALIFORNIA, LIKE IT HAD JUST GOTTEN TO THE UNITED STATES AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WAS SUPER WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WAS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND WE HAD THIS PATIENT THAT WE ENDED UP HAVING TO SWAB.

>> FOR COVID TESTING.

AND I WAS IN CHARGE OF TESTING AND IT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH COVID.

I REMEMBER THIS UNEASY FEELING OF JUST LOOKING AT THIS SPECIMEN, THINKING THIS COULD BE WHAT WE WERE HEARING ABOUT IN THE NEWS, THIS IS FINALLY HERE.

>> IT COULD BE YOUR FUNERAL.

UH-HUH.

>> IT WAS VERY UNEASY AND VERY SCARY.

>> AS TIME WENT ON, YOU KNOW, WE GOT MORE COVID PATIENTS AND IT BECAME NOT NECESSARILY GOOD BUT WE GOT KIND OF USED TO HAVING COVID PATIENTS AND SEEING-- EVEN IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, FEW WEEKS, I'VE TAKEN CARE OF PATIENTS WITH COVID.

AND IT JUST KIND OF BECOMES PART OF WHAT WE HAVE GOTTEN USED TO.

>> THE ROUTINE.

SO NOW YOU HAVE THE SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT AND ALL OF THAT.

SO WE KNOW THERE IS A BIG SHORTAGE OF NURSES NOW.

DID THAT OCCUR SOLELY DURING THE PANDEMIC?

OR WAS THERE ALREADY A DECREASE AND A SHORTAGE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC?

>> MY ENTIRE CAREER HAS SORT OF BEEN FRAMED BY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NURSES.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE EVER FELT THAT WE'VE EVER HAD ENOUGH NURSES.

CERTAINLY WE'VE HAD OUR LINE OF VISION ON AGING BABY BOOMERS AND, YOU KNOW, THE AGING POPULATION IN GENERAL, WITH ALL OF OUR ADVANCES IN HEALTHCARE, PEOPLE ARE LIVING LONGER BUT THERE STILL ARE, YOU KNOW, COMORBIDITIES AND REASONS WHY THEY NEED TO SEEK HEALTHCARE.

SO WE HAVE HAD OUR EYE ON THAT KNOWING THERE WAS A NURSING SHORTAGE AND KNOWING THAT THAT WAS COMING EVEN MORE SO.

BUT CERTAINLY COVID HAS ACCELERATED THAT PATHWAY AND REALLY KIND OF SPOTLIGHTED IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

WE HAVE NEEDED TO UTILIZE NURSES IN A DIFFERENT WAY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE COME ABOUT FOR NURSES IN DIFFERENT ROLES.

SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE PROFESSION FOR CERTAINLY REASONS BEYOND, YOU KNOW, OUR CONTROL AND FOR THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO THERE ARE THEIR FAMILIES.

IT'S EXACERBATED THAT.

WE CERTAINLY CHALLENGED WITH CONTINUING TO FIND NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE THE WORKFORCE AND TO BRING NEW PEOPLE IN.

STARTING FROM NANCY, THROUGH THE COLLEGE, BUT THEN ON THROUGH INTO OUR ORGANIZATION.

AND REALLY FOCUSING ON THAT.

>> SO I IMAGINE I HAVE CERTAINLY READ ABOUT HOW STRESSFUL IT WAS FOR THE PROFESSION OF FOLKS IN NURSING.

HOW WAS IT FOR EACH OF YOU?

WHAT KIND OF STRESSES DID YOU ENCOUNTER?

>> WELL, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK QUICKLY TO WHAT JOE SAID ABOUT BEING A STUDENT.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE HOW WELL THE STUDENTS ADAPTED AND WELL FLEXIBLE THEY WERE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY GET A TYPICAL GRADUATION OR A TYPICAL SEMESTER, YOU KNOW, IN THAT SPRING.

AND YOU GRADUATED THIS SUMMER.

THEY WERE SO GOOD.

THEY JUST BOUNCED BACK.

THEY WENT THE CLINICAL.

THEY DIDN'T WORRY.

THEY WORRY THE MASKS.

THEY WERE JUST VERY-- EVEN THE WHOLE PROCESS, HOW THEY HAD TO MANEUVER THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE WENT TO VIRTUAL.

SO, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY HAVING THAT FACE TO FACE ONE ON ONE WITH THE HIRING MANAGERS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING REALLY CHANGED.

AND SO IT HAS CREATED A VERY FLEXIBLE AGILE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING AND STEP OUT AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BE ON THAT CUTTING EDGE TYPE OF WORKFORCE.

THAT IS A POSITIVE IN ALL OF THIS.

>> THERE WASN'T THE FAIR THERE, THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

THEY WERE NURSES AND THEY WERE GOING TO CONQUER AND THEY DID AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

EACH CLASS AFTERWARDS HAS DONE WELL.

YOU ASKED HOW IT FELT FOR US?

>> YEAH.

>> PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M A NURSE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, WE ADAPT.

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER THING OUT THERE THAT I HAVE TO DO.

MY-- I THOUGHT MORE STRESS FOR US CAME FROM HOW DO WE GET NURSES TO BE ENGAGED WITH WHAT THEY'RE HEARING IN THE MEDIA, TO NOT BE SCARED; AND TO WANT TO ENTER THIS PROFESSION, YOU KNOW, AND STAY AT THE HOSPITAL.

WE WANT TO RETAIN OUR NURSES.

AND THEN I THINK WE HAD TO KEEP THEIR MORALE UP.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE UNITS, THE NURSES ARE WORKING REALLY HARD.

>>Y WANT TO HELP THEM AND WE WANT THE STUDENTS TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE ENTERING AN AREA THAT'S POSITIVE.

I DON'T THINK NURSES ARE EVER TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE.

THEY'RE THERE FOR THE PATIENTS BUT I THINK THEY WERE BURNED OUT AND STRESSED AND LONG HOURS, A LOT OF SICK PATIENTS IN AND LESS STAFF.

SO I THINK THE STRUGGLE WAS, AND MAYBE JOE CAN SPEAK TO THIS, WAS GOING TO CLINICAL AND MAKING SURE THEY WERE GETTING THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT THEY WERE GETTING BEFORE COVID HIT.

SO, AND THE NURSES ARE AMAZING ON THE UNIT BUT THEY'RE SHORT STAFFED AND OVERWORKED.

I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING THAT'S NOT APPARENT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ST. JOSEPH'S HAS WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING THE BEST FOR THE NURSES, FOR THE STUDENTS.

WE WORK VERY CLOSE, SUZANNE AND I WITH TRYING TO GET THEM TO STAY AT THE HOSPITAL AND GET JOBS.

>> I THINK THE RAPID PACE THAT THINGS WERE CHANGING AT, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS STRESSFUL AS MUCH AS IT WAS JUST STRENUOUS TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING BECAUSE THINGS KEPT CHANGING AND WE HAVE HOSPITALS THINGS THAT WERE CHANGING.

WE HAD STATE THINGS THAT WERE CHANGING.

WE HAD NATIONAL THINGS THAT WERE CHANGING.

WE HAD SYSTEM THINGS THAT WERE CHANGING, TRYING TO KEEP THE COMMUNICATION, YURI, IS A VERY STRONG PROPONENT OF COMMUNICATION IN TRYING TO GET THAT COMMUNICATION OUT.

I THINK NO MATTER HOW QUICKLY WE COULD GET COMMUNICATION OUT, IT WASN'T STAFF ENOUGH BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU GET IT OUT, SOMETHING ELSE CHANGED.

>> AND TRYING TO ADAPT TO THAT.

>> TRYING TO ADAPT ON THAT.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED ALL THE CHANGE, ADAPTING TO THAT.

HOW ABOUT ALL THE STUFF WITH PPE AND ALL THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

HOW DID YOU GUYS MANAGE THAT AT YOUR-- AS THE CHIEF?

>> WELL, WHEN WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING, RIGHT, PART OF OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE WAS ALSO RESOURCE ALLOCATION.

AND THAT INCLUDED PPE.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER, WE HEARD OF MASK SHORTAGES, RIGHT?

WE HERT OF VENTILATOR SHORTAGES.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN AMERICA.

A PLACE THAT SHOULDN'T EVER SEE THIS.

>> YOU NEVER HEAR ABOUT MASK SHORTAGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

>> NO, OUR SHELVES WERE FULL.

THERE WAS NEVER THE NEED.

THIS WAS THE COUNTRY OF OPPORTUNITY AND YET HERE WE ARE STRETCHED, PUSHED TO OUR LIMITS AND AS NANCY POINTED OUT, WE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS WHEN DO YOU ALLOW STUDENTS ON CERTAIN FLOORS BECAUSE YOU NEEDED TO RESOURCE YOUR MASKS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NURSES HTS MASKS THAT THEY NEEDED, THAT THE DOCTORS HAD THE MASKS.

AND THEN STUDENTS AND SUPPORT STAFF.

AND WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ENOUGH VENTILATORS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE CARE IN HIGH ACUITY AREAS LIKE OUR CRITICAL CARE FLOORS AND WE NEEDED TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PEERS WITH OUR OTHER HOSPITALS, WITH OUR COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF PATIENTS AND NURSES.

NOT OVERWHELMING THEM.

SO WHEN YOU THINK OF COVID AND COVID RESPONSE, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT WENT INTO THAT AND THERE WERE DAILY, HOURLY DISCUSSIONS THAT WENT LATE INTO THE NIGHTS, OVERTHE WEEKENDS, ENGAGING WITH NEW YORK STATE, COLLABORATING WITH ONONDAGA COUNTY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID WHAT WAS BEST, KNOWING WHAT LIMITATIONS WE HAD AND USED OUR RESOURCES VERY WISELY.

>> SO, JOSEPH, ON THE FRONT LINE, THERE YOU ARE.

DID YOU BECOME A NURSE FULL FLEDGED NURSE ACROSS THIS TERM OF THE PANDEMIC?

>> YEAH, SO I WAS AN AIDE AT THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES, BUT THROUGH THE FOLLOWING WAVES, I WAS ACTUALLY A NEW NURSE.

>> GOT YOUR DIPLOMA AND YOUR DEGREE.

>> GOT MY DIPLOMA, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

>> WERE YOU EVER AFRAID ON THE FLOOR-- WERE YOU EVER AFRAID, I'M GOING TO GET THIS AND IT MIGHT KILL ME OR IT MIGHT GIVE ME SOME LONG-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS?

DID YOU EVER FEEL LIKE THAT KIND OF LEVEL OF STRESS?

>> I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID I DIDN'T.

I WENT INTO THE CAREER OF NURSING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.

AND WHEN I DECIDED TO BECOME A NURSE, I KNEW THAT THAT WOULD BE A RISK WHETHER IT BE THIS PANDEMIC OR ANOTHER FUTURE PANDEMIC, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

THAT'S OUR JOB.

>> YOU WERE REALLY MOTIVATING YOURSELF WITH SORT OF THE OVERALL VALUE OF THE PROFESSION TO SERVE PEOPLE WITH A HEALTHCARE NEED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S THE MOST REWARDING THING I'VE EVER DONE AND I THINK HONESTLY WITH THE SHORTAGE OF NURSING, SHARING THAT REWARD THAT WE FEEL WAS GOING TO BE THE KEY TO GETTING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BECOME NURSES.

>> YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT... >> JOE WAS RAISED BY A NURSE.

>> MY MOM WAS A NURSE, TOO.

>> ACTUALLY WORKS DOWN THE HALL FROM ME.

SHE IS THE MANAGER AT THE MEDICAL SURGICAL ICU.

>> JOE'S MOM AND MY MOM WERE IN SCHOOL TOGETHER.

>> NO, ME.

YOUNGER.

YOUNGER MOM.

[LAUGHTER] >> SHE HAS BEEN A TERRIFIC GUIDE AND SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE ABLE TO WITH SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING, SHE HAS BEEN A NURSE FOR I THINK 22 YEARS AND SHE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING ON THIS SCALE LIKE THIS.

IT DEFINITELY TOOK EVERYTHING FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM, TOOK EVERYONE BY STORM.

>> YEAH A LOT OF YOU GUYS REALLY GOT RECRUITED BY YOUR MOMS INTO THE PROFESSION.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I AVOIDED BEING A NURSE COME TO THINK OF IT NOW.

SUZANNE, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT A NURSE?

WHAT KIND OF SKILLS AND TALENTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY ANYBODY THAT GRADUATES FROM OUR COLLEGE OF NURSING PROGRAM IS AN AUTOMATIC SHOE IN.

WE REALLY HAVE KIND OF A BROAD, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE HIRED INTENT TO FIND A POSITION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE CALIBER OF PROGRAM THAT ST. JOE'S PROVIDES.

WE ARE ALL ST. JOSEPH GRADS AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER.

SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAVING THAT MISSION VISION VALUE SYSTEM REALLY, TO JOE'S POINT, THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT COMPENSATION THESE DAYS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPETING PATHWAYS THAT NURSES CAN GO ON WITH TRAVELING AND DIFFERENT NON-ACUTE SETTING AVENUES.

SO REALLY TRYING TO LOOK FOR THE PERSON THAT REALLY DOES FEEL THAT NURSING IS A CALLING; THAT THEY'RE COMING IN TO SERVE; THAT THEY'RE FOR THE GREATER GOOD WE HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION.

I THINK WE ARE COMING UP ON 154 YEARS, ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH IN THE SYRACUSE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING WITH THE PARTNERS TO BRING IN ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS AND HELP THEM GROW, A LOT OF THOSE, ENCOURAGING THEM TO GO INTO THE NURSING PROFESSION.

>> WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO TO TRY TO SUPPORT YOUR NURSING STAFF, TO MAKE IT A GOOD PLACE TO WORK?

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU DO TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY SET US APART HAS BEEN OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND BEING ABLE TO BE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AT THAT LEVEL.

WE HAVE BEEN A MAGNET ORGANIZATION FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

WE WERE THE FIRST-- >> MAGNET HAS A SPECIAL DESIGNATION.

EXPLAIN TO US WHAT MAGNET MEANS.

>> MAGNET DESIGNATION IS AN HONOR YOU EARN ACHIEVING CERTAIN EXCELLENCE, MILESTONES IN NURSING AND IT'S INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.

>> GET THAT DESIGNATION FROM SOME ORGANIZATION NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION?

>> CORRECT.

AND IT ACTUALLY COVERS INTERNATIONAL NURSING AS WELL.

AND SO WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE NURSING PROFESSION, MAGNET STANDS OUT AS THE PINNACLE OF NURSING QUALITY IN AN ORGANIZATION.

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE IT, IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK TO GET THERE AND IT'S AN HONOR TO KEEP IT AND HOLD IT.

IT SITS YOU APART IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE OWNED THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE DOING, IN A WAY, IN RECRUITING PEOPLE, YOU ARE SAYING WE ARE AN EXCELLENT NURSING FACILITY AND COME AND BE PART OF OUR TEAM HERE.

JOIN OUR EXCELLENT TEAM AND LEARN FROM US AND DEVELOP WITH US, GROW WITH US.

PART OF-- >> PART OF THAT MAGNET PORTFOLIO, IF YOU WILL, IS OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COLLEAGUES, NURSES AND THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE THEM AND HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD THROUGH UNIT PRACTICE COUNCILS WHERE THEY INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING ABILITIES, BOTH AT THE UNIT LEVEL AND EVEN IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS, ON PROJECTS AND DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT WE ENGAGE ON.

AND THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR RETENTION AND OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR NURSES TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT RETENTION.

HAS THERE BEEN AN INCREASE IN NURSING PEOPLE AT ST. JOSEPH'S?

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND YOUR STAFF?

>> IT'S GETTING BETTER.

>> WE HAVE A STEADY FLOW OF NEW NURSES, EXPERIENCED NURSES, LIKE I SAID, EITHER COMING BACK OR COMING TO.

THEY DO SEEK OUT, A LOT OF TIMES, WHETHER YOU ARE A MAGNET DESIGNATED ORGANIZATION.

SO WE DO GET PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE LEFT THE AREA THAT MIGHT BE RELOCATING THAT ARE COMING BACK.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY HAVE HAVE ABOPPORTUNITY TO BRING A LOT OF DIFFERENT COLLEAGUES IN IN THAT WAY.

WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY CHALLENGED BY, YOU KNOW, AS I HAD SAID, THE OTHER PATHWAYS THAT NURSES HAVE, SO REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE WENT INTO NURSING.

WHAT IS IT THAT'S GOING TO REALLY BRING THEM BACK.

TO YURI'S POINT ABOUT LISTENING TO NURSES, YOU KNOW, ON THE RECRUITMENT SIDE, AND AGAIN IT WASN'T REALLY STRESSFUL.

IT WAS JUST THAT THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS TO KEEP UP WITH.

THE CLINICAL CHANGES, BUT A LOT OF THOSE CLINICAL CHANGES WERE DRIVEN BY FRONT LINE NURSING STAFF WHO, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE MIGHT HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THUNKS GO ONE WAY, BUT WHEN STAFF, YOU KNOW, WAS REALLY TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THAT, DIDN'T REALLY WORK.

SO YOU KNOW... >> LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINE WHO SAID HEY, WE GOT TO CHANGE THIS PROCESS.

>> RIGHT.

WE WERE CONTINUOUSLY TRYING TO PIVOT OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS THOSE CONTINUOUSLY PIVOTED AND CHANGED.

>> JOSEPH.

AS THE NEWEST PERSON HERE IN THE PROFESSION, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY WHO IS CONSIDERING A CAREER IN NURSING?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT PERSON?

AT THE NEXT PARTY YOU GO TO WHEN SOMEBODY FINDS OUT YOU ARE A NURSE.

>> THAT'S FUNNY.

I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH MY FIANCEE ABOUT HOW REWARDING NURSING IS AND SHE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN LOOKING INTO ST. JOE'S AND POTENTIALLY GOING THERE.

>> WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER?

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

>> I EXPLAINED TO HER HOW REWARDING THIS JOB IS AND HOW YOU GOT TO WORK HARD AND YOU HAVE TO BE DEDICATED AND GIVE YOURSELF 100% TO IT.

BUT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT, YOU GET OUT.

AND I TOLD HER THAT AND I TOLD HER HAVE YOU TO WORK HARD, ESPECIALLY HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING.

PANDEMIC AND CHANGING MEDICAL FIELD.

BUT THE BIG THING IS HOW REWARDING THIS IS.

THIS IS THE BEST JOB I'VE EVER HAD.

IT'S ALSO THE HARDEST JOB.

>> THAT'S A GREAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE PROFESSION.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS AGAIN FOR JOINING US.

YURI PASHCHUK, CHIEF NURSING OFFICER AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH DO THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SALUTE YOU-- WHEN YOU GO BY-- >> I SURE HOPE NOT.

>> JUST TRY IT OUT FOR A WEEK OR SO.

NANCY POOLE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF NURSING SUZANNE TALARICO, MANAGER OF TALENT ACQUISITION AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH AND JOSEPH DOOLITTLE, REGISTERED NURSE AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH BE SURE TO VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH TO SEE ADDITIONAL CONTENT, PRIOR EPISODES, AND OUR WEB SERIES CHECKUP FROM OUR NECKUP.

FOR CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

>> ON THE NEXT "CYCLE OF HEALTH," IMPROVING THE ELEMENTS.

AIR AND WATER ARE VITAL TO HUMAN HEALTH.

POLLUTANTS DEGRADE THE QUALITY OF THESE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS, BUT WORK IS BEING DONE TO MITIGATE THESE ISSUES.

JOIN US AS WE TOUR THE BEES LAB AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND HEAR FROM EXPERTS DEVOTED TO IMPROVING OUR AIR AND WATER, NEXT TIME ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH."