Sanford Health - Careers at the US Healthcare Employer

My name is Wade. I'm the program administrator for internationally educated nurses program. Sanford Health is the largest rural health system in the United States. We have nearly 50,000 employees representing 82 different countries and speaking over 90 languages.

We are geographically located in the Upper Midwest, a region known for its natural beauty, safety, low cost of living. And yes, we've talked about it all four seasons. Sanford includes 47 medical centers, more than 220 clinic locations, 200 Good Samaritan Society, senior care facilities, and we even have world clinics in eight countries around the globe. And I think that's one thing that sets Sanford apart. Just in addition to our competitive pay and benefits package all of the things that many others have already discussed. We offer so many different service lines and opportunities for professional growth. And that includes spouses as well. We've even had spouses of our nurses secure employment at Sanford too, so a lot of familial support is there as well. Sanford was recently recognized as one of Becker's top 150 places to work in health care. This is a prestigious list of organizations that promote workplace diversity, work life balance and employee well being. And as for our nurses, we're proud to share that Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, as well as our medical center in Bismarck have both earned their magnet status. Sanford has been a magnet recognized organizations since 2003, being designated five consecutive times for Nursing Excellence. So to share more about our magnet designation and what that means I'm going to pass it off to my colleague, Laura Stokes. Thanks, Wade.

So good morning, everyone. I'm Laura Stokes, an RN clinical educator with Sanford Health. So the magnet recognition program designates organizations that value and support Nursing Excellence. Achieving magnet status is the highest level of Honor awarded by the American Nurses credentialing center, and is recognized nationally as a gold standard of Nursing Excellence. To achieve magnet status organization must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demonstrates active involvement of all nursing staff. The magnet designation is only good for four years, so organizations must show continued value in support of Nursing Excellence to be re designated. The magnet names help patients identify hospitals where they can find satisfied nurses and expect to receive a high level of care. We're gonna watch a short video now from the chief nursing officer to highlight what nursing is all about at Sanford. Sanford health spans are crap. We 1000 square miles, we have the opportunity to care for patients and residents not only in the Midwest, but also in 24. States and our Good Sam facilities are four major medical centers located in Sioux Falls, Fargo, Bemidji and Bismarck offer that key hubs to take care of our patients in that acute care setting. A lot of the care happens outside the walls of our hospital and nursing is at the center of caring for those patients. Nursing Excellence has demonstrated throughout our enterprise in not only our clinics, but also in our inpatient settings in our skilled facilities, as well as in our communities.

We serve in multiple different ways, no matter where they're asking. I think I'll use a couple of different current words to describe our nursing culture. We are resilient, we are collaborative, we're passionate. And we're driven to take care of our patients in the way that they want to be taken care of. The practice models serves as the foundation of how we do our work. It's about person centered care, as well as all the other teammates needs and how we provide care and a varying amount around that. So it's not just about nursing practice, but it's about that interdisciplinary team that contributes to the care of the patients. Quality is a big part of how we do our work every single day and evidence based practice is continuing to be a big pillar of the work that we do as well. So when you think about solving problems at the bedside evidence helps to adjust and assist us and actually looking at things differently, innovating and then serving our patients in that way. Similarly, evidence based practice gives us the opportunity as people at the bedside to actually teach others across the nation. Sanford has huge amount of influence as well as brilliance like we talked about to help serve not just the people at Sanford Health but to share our story across the nation, because we do deliver amazing patient care and every day alright, so in addition to that video, we just want to highlight that nursing education is very important at Sanford as well.

Sanford currently offers a robust orientation program. And in addition to that current nursing orientation program, we've created a one week pre boarding program that focuses on the information around US healthcare and what might look different in the United States compared to nursing and other countries. We offer this as a bridge to orientation to allow that time to transition to Sanford Health and US healthcare. After orientation with a preceptor, we also offer a fellowship that is a six session program that continues to offer that education and support for integration in the US healthcare and nursing at Sanford. From there, nurses have opportunities to participate in ongoing education and achieve certifications as they relate to their positions. And just some of those examples are becoming a formal preceptor to precept other nurses, advanced cardiac life support, trauma, nursing core course and leadership development opportunities. And I'm going to now pass our attention to Cindy who's going to introduce some of our internationally educated nurses. Thanks, Laura. I'm Cindy Benfield, and I'm so excited to be here and chat with you guys. But mostly excited to have you hear from two of our wonderful nurses who have gone before you and joined our team here at Sanford. So we have Elvis and we have Sandee. And they have just made such an impact in the time that they've been here. So I wanted to ask and we'll start with ladies first, Sandee, why did you choose Sanford Health as an employer? That's a really, really good question.

Obviously, as you've already watched a couple of clips of, of what Sanford is all about. But for me personally, first, it's Sanford itself. Because before my interview date, I looked up information about Sanford and came to know such wonderful things. And that was just mentioned previously being a magnet hospital, multiple medical services state of the art facility. But what attracted me the most is the mission of the hospital, the Valley Center, Sanford upholds that is dedicated to sharing God's love through the work of health, healing and comfort. And I see that as a strong foundation that Sanford has, which definitely can greatly impact the lives of many people, the community, and even the people inside the organization. And, of course, the values that they uphold, such as community, family focused, patient focus, service, and innovation and advancement. And I see those are important values, that reflects a healthy organization. And of course, apart from that the benefits of the company is competitive, you know, relating to your wage to our money, monetary benefits, retirement plans, health and safety coverage for employees, and absolutely a whole lot more. So coming to know that Sanford has both a competitive employee benefits and a healthy recognized institution that definitely led me to Office.

Wow, thank you. I agree. Our family mission and everything that we do really makes a difference in my life and my family's life as well. So thanks, Sandee, for sharing that. Elvis. I'm so excited that you're here as well. And so I wanted to ask you what your training and your orientation had been like, I know, it's maybe been a little while. But how was that for you going through that process? So thank you for having me. First. And when did it start, you know, when you start is it's hard. But people were so friendly. And I did have a really smooth training all the time. People were so supportive here at Sanford. And we have a great community here too. We have more international people, and they really take care of international nurses here at Sanford, you know, and now I, I feel I'm growing my career here, you know, and I had that training months ago, and I did have my preceptor now I'm preceptor at Sanford to and I'm working to be CCL sooner, you know, and it was really, it was difficult at first, you know, because it's a different language, a different culture. That was that shock when you come here, but now I can tell you I've I feel more confident. I feel that I'm home now. You know, I can come here every day. I can laugh at all the with people here making jokes. I feel free. Well here. It's nice to be here. Let's do Q. The first is there hardest year but after one year, I feel home.

Wow. Well that is such a beautiful place to end. Thank you to the Sanford team for that amazing presentation. Sanford have hundreds of international nurses already there hundreds of international nurses that are coming. So very experienced in helping international nurses to make that transition. And I think Elvis the, the comment that you had at the end was just a beautiful place to end the Connetics Career Day is that Elvis and international nurse feels home. And that's what we want for each and everybody who is coming to the United States. So thank you so much to the Sanford team. If you are interested in joining Sanford or any other of the Connetics employers that presented today, please apply to the Connetics USA nursing agency website. Our team are waiting on hand to speak to you and to tell you more about these opportunities and to see how we can help make your American dream a reality