The following is the New Jersey Nursing Initiative (NJNI) weekly news roundup, highlighting nursing and health care stories from around the state.
Trinitas launches residency programs for nurses (Nurse.com)
Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth has introduced two residency programs for novice nurses to acquaint them with emergency and med/surg nursing through a 12-week program. “Such programs represent a trend among hospitals across the country to attract new nurses who are interested in refining their skills and transitioning into professional practice,” Denise Loneker, RN, nurse manager of the Trinitas ED, said in a news release.
Merger brings Rutgers nursing schools together (Nurse.com)
Rutgers’ two nursing education programs are consolidating to bring together faculty, facilities and resources under one comprehensive school. “We will be, together, a full complement nursing school, having all of the major specialties and degrees available,” said William Holzemer, RN, PhD, FAAN, dean of the combined Rutgers School of Nursing in Newark. “The synergy will be great.” The changes came about as a result of the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act, which went into effect in 2013, integrating Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, with all units of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The Rutgers School of Nursing-Camden will remain an independent entity because of its location and the way the legislation was written.
Sticking to solid staffing (Hudson Reporter)
Citing the need for the proper staffing levels of nurses and other health care providers for patients at the Bayonne Medical Center, about 120 union members and leaders recently picketed outside the facility. The Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) members and CarePoint Health are negotiating an agreement on a one-year deal for the hospital employees, whose current collective bargaining agreement expires July 31, according to John Bauer of Bayonne, president of HPAE Local 5185.