Partners In Nursing

Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc

Atlantic General Hospital, McCready Hospital Foundation, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Salisbury University School of Nursing, Wor-Wic Community College Nursing Department

Erica Joseph, Program Officer

ejoseph@cfes.org, 410-742-9911

Patti Serkes, Director of Education

patricia.serkes@peninsula.org, 410.543.7130

Brief Project Synopsis: 

The Partners in Nursing Program is a regional partnership of local healthcare, education and community organizations established to provide support for new graduates and nurses returning to the profession through a combination of mentoring and professional development activities.  During our pilot phase (November 2006-2008), PIN operated a regional mentoring program that engaged 17 mentor-protégé pairs in weekly one-on-one meetings and monthly professional development and networking opportunities.  Since that time, individual healthcare agencies have been working to bring the mentoring programs in-house to allow for implementation that better complements the unique aspects of each organization.  The PIN partnership has focused on elevating the nursing profession regionally through the development and implementation of unique learning and networking opportunities typically unavailable in our area.  CFES has served as the lead agency to date, securing additional funds from the Maryland Rural Council to supplement the programmatic activities over the last year. 

Project Goals and Objectives:

Specifically, this mentoring program seeks to address three issues: retention of new nurses, creation of a nursing leadership network, and development of a career path to increase the number of nurse faculty.

The mentoring program provides an additional opportunity to enhance personal and intellectual development of nurse protégés (first-year nurses and those returning to the profession).  Local nurses serve as peer mentors and provide personalized support through a one-to-one exchange.  Nursing faculty members provide support to mentors and help to facilitate professional development and continuing education opportunities.

The goals and objectives of the PIN Program are to:

1) address the critical retention issue with first-time nurses,

2) provide increased support in the development of nurse leaders while placing current nurses and faculty in rewarding leadership roles, and

3) increase the number of potential new nursing faculty at the local university and community college.