Through a collaborative effort with Laredo Community College, nurses at the hospital will soon have access to specialty training courses right here in Laredo.
Workforce Solutions for South Texas (WSST), a local organization that implements a system of employer and workforce-focused services and resources, coordinated with the Texas Workforce Commission to award a skills development grant to Doctors Hospital of Laredo to fund a training program for nurses. The initiative will give nursing staff the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in specialized courses offered through Laredo Community College.
Chief Nursing Officer Selvan Murugan, RN, MSN, MBA, MHA, CMSRN, FACHE, is overseeing the curriculum development and the program implementation with the support of Assistant Chief Nursing Officer Rebecca Garcia Hernandez, BSN, who coordinated the grant application effort with Laredo Community College and WSST over the course of nearly eight months. Without this program, the nurses would have to travel far away to access training or certification outside of Laredo.
“We are bringing the education to our nurses rather than sending them to the education,” explains Murugan. “Through this initiative 200+ nursing staff will benefit and at least 13 specialty courses will be offered that will improve patient safety and quality of care.”
Executive Director of WSST, Rogelio Trevino, included Doctors Hospital on the Texas Two Step Tour 2018 in Laredo with Commissioner Representing Labor Julián Álvarez III of the Texas Workforce Commission, the state agency responsible for administering workforce development services throughout Texas. Trevino spoke highly of the Doctors Hospital training program and their presentation on how they plan to use the grant.
“We were so proud of this initiative at Doctors Hospital. They were able to show how all of the resources being provided will be utilized to improve the skills of the staff and better the community, and we were so impressed. I look forward to seeing where it goes.”