Hundreds of aspiring nurses gathered at Northwell Health’s 10th annual “Golden Ticket Nursing Showcase” at the Crest Hollow Country Club, an event designed to help recruiters identify promising college students who could one day become part of New York State’s largest health system.
Nearly 500 nursing majors from more than 20 different schools attended the Jan. 10 event. Nursing leaders representing 21 Northwell hospitals and 15 service lines offered a glimpse into the rewards and challenges facing registered nurses today. They also networked with aspiring nurse candidates during the expo session.
The Nursing Showcase allows Northwell to develop a pipeline of nursing talent at a time when there’s a reported nationwide shortage of nurses, particularly in specialties such as Perioperative, Emergency Department, Critical Care and Pediatrics.
It offers an opportunity to meet and interview students for internships, fellowships and other summer placement opportunities. More than half of candidates who go through the Northwell summer program eventually get hired as nurses.
“The nursing shortage is something that’s certainly present in health care today,” said Maureen White, senior vice president and chief nurse executive at Northwell Health. “There are many reasons why there’s a nursing shortage. There’s a lack of seats available at schools of nursing. We have an aging nursing faculty which also restricts the number of students who are able to enroll. But also as we try to increase access to care in non-traditional venues – moving from hospital-based care to home care, ambulatory care and skilled nursing facilities – nurses are needed more than ever before.”
Northwell employs about 15,000 nurses, nearly a quarter of the total workforce, and has 350 posted nursing job openings currently on its careers site. Five Northwell hospitals have earned the prestigious Magnet status, the gold standard for nursing care.
