Philosophy
The System Clinical Education philosophy is to aim to facilitate excellence in job performance for clinical staff members through continued assessment, deployment, learning and integration of best practice strategies for development and advancement of knowledge.
Nursing Professional Development
System Clinical Education commits to aligning with the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) standards to enhance the specialty practices of nursing professional development for improved patient care outcomes.
Memorial Hermann Health System is committed to continued professional growth and development for new and experienced nurses. Memorial Hermann supports a variety of programs in an effort to deliver highly reliable care and through knowledge, nurses can be empowered to practice to the fullest extent. Memorial Hermann has a deep commitment to training the next generation of nurses as well as assisting current nurses in their practice.
Excellence in Education
Memorial Hermann earned the prestigious honor of being accredited as Practice Transition Program (PTAP) with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for our System Nurse Residency Program. This is the first system-wide accreditation. We are more than excited to have this honor of distinction.
Programs and Educational Support
Transition to Practice
A transition to nursing practice program provides specialized training through residency and/or fellowship curriculums to help create the health care workforce pipeline needed to provide quality care now and in the future. Current and evidence based practice can link improved patient care to standardized transition to practice programs in the areas of safety, competence, and retention. Memorial Hermann offers two pathways for nurses to transition successfully into autonomous clinical practice: the Nurse Residency Program (NRP) and Registered Nurse (RN) Fellowship.
System Nurse Residency Program
Memorial Hermann is honored to support new nurses from novice to expert. The first step in that journey is the transition successfully from graduate nurse to fully competent nurse practicing independently in a clinical setting.
Through the System Nurse Residency Program, Memorial Hermann is investing in the future of the health care industry and the profession of nursing by providing a strong foundation on which new nurses can start their career.
The System Nurse Residency (NRP) Program is supported through an alliance with Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™: The System Nurse Residency Program is a comprehensive transition-to-practice program for newly licensed, graduate Registered Nurses at Memorial Hermann. The core of the System Residency is the Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ curriculum and the ongoing Memorial Hermann Clinical Development programs.
Nurse Residents as Nurse Scientists
An integral component of the Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ (NRP) is the evidence-based practice project (EBPP), which supports the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Learning to think critically about patient care is essential to maximizing patient outcomes. Nurses who provide direct patient care learn to evaluate outcomes by observing their patients and collecting data from vital signs and physical assessments. In addition, patients often want to be engaged in their care and will ask nurses about the results of procedures and tests.
These observations about care delivery, the partnership between nurses and patients, and clinical lessons from other providers on the health care team are often the genesis of an EBPP. The term evidence-based practice project refers to projects that fall anywhere on the continuum of research, evaluation of existing programs, creation of educational materials, and quality improvement.
RN Fellowship Program for Experienced Nurses
Memorial Hermann realizes that nurses are diverse and part of their growth and development is learning new areas of practice. The RN Fellowship Program gives nurses within Memorial Hermann the opportunity to apply for a fellowship program. Once accepted, this fellowship program provides a structured framework in which nurses learn and train to deliver quality care in a new nursing specialty. Similar to the Nurse Residency Program, this transition to practice program provides a pathway for experienced nurses looking to enter a new specialty.
Clinical Coach Class
As part of professional development, Memorial Hermann offers a Clinical Coach Class. The purpose of the Clinical Coach Class is to enhance the clinical coach ability to apply effective orientation strategies that will assist in the transition of the new nurse to a competent level of practice.
The overall purpose of the Clinical Coach course purpose of this education activity is to enhance the clinical coach ability to apply effective orientation strategies that will assist in the transition of the new nurse to a competent level of practice, as evidenced by positive post orientation surveys indicating perceived clinical coach competence. The comprehensive competency development course, describe the roles and responsibilities of the clinical coach, identified factors that affect learning and working styles and supports the learner to demonstrate new strategies to support critical thinking skills and learning opportunities to explore innovative methodologies to verify competency and ensure safe practice skills for the newly licensed registered nurse or new hire.
Research and Evidenced-Based Practice
Nursing Research and Evidenced-Based Practice are fully supported at Memorial Hermann by a variety of resources and infrastructures. The infrastructure for nursing EBP employs the EBP Process Model (ASK, GATHER, APPRAISE, AT, EVALUATE, & DISSEMINATE), a modified Iowa Model as the EBP Practice Model, and the Seven Levels of Evidence Scale as a common language for describing the strength of evidence for decision-making. Memorial Hermann employs a full time nurse scientist who is available to assist nurses in with clinical inquiry processes. The nurse scientist also provides on line and instructor-led clinical inquiry (EBP and research) programs for nurses. The EBP Program is offered at each Memorial Hermann campus on a rotating basis with a new program starting each month. Nurses are able to attend the EBP Program at any campus that works for their schedule. Nurses receive support following a structured approach that utilizes the EBP process steps to develop and implement a project plan or to develop a protocol to carry out an IRB approved research study. Nurses also receive support to disseminate their project or study findings internally, locally, nationally and with submission of an article for publication.
Online Resources
Memorial Hermann System Clinical Education Department provides a variety of online resources to assist with the broad educational needs of our clinical staff; from new hire specialty education to competency maintenance. Many of the products are open to anyone who has access to OneSource & some are even available from home. There are a few products for specific service lines which require purchase of a seat for use; these are assigned by a professional development specialist/educator.
Memorial Hermann System Clinical Education Department provides a variety of electronic books and national society standards as reference tools for our clinical staff. All of these resources are open to anyone who has access to OneSource.
Memorial Hermann also utilizes Elsevier: Clinical skills as a resource for evidenced-based skills and procedures. This tool can be a resource for the nurse to utilize as a reference or for learning needs.
Continuing Education
Memorial Hermann realizes that continues learning and professional growth and development is a key component of nursing excellence. As such, Memorial Hermann offers a wide range of in-person CE opportunities as well as conferences within the system. Online education can be obtained free of charge from CE Direct which every nurse has access to.
Reimbursement for Approved Certifications
Memorial Hermann realizes that having certified nurses means higher quality care. Therefore, certification is supported through reimbursement for approved certifications as listed by Magnet and the ANCC. In some instances, the review courses may be offered online for the nurse to prepare to take the exam.
Tuition Reimbursement
Memorial Hermann understands the importance of higher education and encourages employees to enhance their careers through educational advancement.
Tuition Reimbursement and Advisory Program that Memorial Hermann offers to full and part-time employees through EdAssist.
At no cost to you, EdAssist education advisors can work one-on-one with you to create a customized education plan that offers a direct, convenient and cost-effective route to earning a degree and meeting your educational goals. EdAssist also has a provider network of schools that offer reduced tuition, fees and books.
Our Tuition Reimbursement Program can provide financial assistance, allowing for fiscal year reimbursements for eligible employees.
The intent of tuition reimbursement is to enable employees (on your own time) to meet your career goals in a manner that both supports your needs and adds value to the System. It is the employee's responsibility to read and understand the Tuition Reimbursement policy.
Key Points:
- Employees must meet all behavioral and performance expectations to qualify, and courses must be taken from a regionally accredited institution.
- After receiving tuition reimbursement, employees are expected to continue working for Memorial Hermann for a minimum of two years.
- All full-time and part-time employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement. However, your supervisor or director will have to verify that you meet all behavioral and performance expectations to qualify.
For more information on eligibility and program guidelines, you can call EdAssist at 1 (855) 222-2397.
*Please contact your HR representative if you have any questions regarding tuition reimbursement.
Academic Partnerships
Academic clinical partnerships are an essential mechanism for strengthening nursing education, practice, evidence based practice and nurse-led research. It is through these collaborative efforts nurses become well-positioned to lead in change and advance the health and quality of patient outcomes; while maximizing efforts to build the capacity for tomorrow's professional nursing workforce.
The gap between theory and practice is reduced by the sharing of clinical nursing expertise and by increasing evidence-based practice. Academic clinical partnership helps to develop competencies among nursing students and the safety and health outcomes of patients.
Memorial Hermann works closely with accredited academic nursing programs across the greater Houston and surrounding area, as well as, online accredited programs to support the shared goal development for professional nursing practice.
Our numerous nursing clinical placements cover a wide spectrum of specialties that enrich the professional practice of nursing across the communities for which we serve. Hundreds of student nurses are placed annually, through mutually collaborative and valued affiliations; gaining valuable training through clinical practicum experiences across the organization.