Like most U.S. health systems, Hackensack Meridian Health, the biggest in New Jersey, has managed throughout the pandemic by adding new nurses to augment its workforce. But quickly onboarding hundreds of new RNs with different professional backgrounds and levels of experience is a big challenge.

Miriam McNicholas, clinical policy administrator, at Hackensack Meridian, joined Healthcare IT News Executive Editor Mike Miliard to describe how, during the early phases of the crisis, the health system worked with Wolters Kluwer to help standardize education and onboarding to optimize frontline nurse competencies.

That helped HMH staff care for thousands of patients with COVID-19 while functioning as a vaccination mega-site serving more than 4,000 people a day once vaccines were approved. Miriam explained some of the ins and outs of how that was all accomplished – and discusses some of the lasting changes in onboarding and education the technology has enabled.

Like what you hear? Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play!

Talking points:

The challenge of nurse onboarding during the pandemic

The need to get travel nurses with varying competencies and experience up to speed

Accommodations for using volunteers and non-licensed nursing graduates

How new nurses responded to software-based educational tools

Lessons learned and lasting changes at HMH because of this collaboration

More about this episode:

HIMSSCast: The nursing shortage – how health IT helps and harms

Pandemic-era burnout: Nurses in the trenches say technology hurts and helps

Nurse EHR satisfaction slides during pandemic

Patient communications IT increases self-pay collections for Hackensack Meridian

Hackensack Meridian Health shows the benefits of telepsychiatry

Hackensack Meridian Health, JFK Health officially combine in merger of two IT standouts

Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS publication.

Source: Read Full Article