St. MaryƵs School of Nursing students participate in a learning activity. New programs have been introduced to help increase the workforce in local hospitals.
The push to recruit nurses and other health care workers includes new programs to help bulk up the workforce in local hospitals.
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St. MaryƵs School of Nursing students participate in a learning activity. New programs have been introduced to help increase the workforce in local hospitals.
Courtesy of Richard S. Lee
The push to recruit nurses and other health care workers includes new programs to help bulk up the workforce in local hospitals.
HUNTINGTON Ƶ The push to recruit nurses and other health care workers doesnƵt appear to be a near-sighted approach as new programs have been introduced to bulk up the workforce in local hospitals.
ƵI think weƵre always looking to bring in qualified talent, but I would say it has been well documented that we are short on nurses, but weƵre short in other areas,Ƶ said Chris Mokas, director of Human Resources at St. MaryƵs Medical Center. ƵWe have open positions in environmental services, openings in food service and on our transport team. The job market is probably as bare as IƵve seen it since working in HR.Ƶ
In two decades of work in human resources, Mokas said the goal has always been to find qualified individuals to fill openings in the health care industry, but sometimes the way they go about recruiting those people has to change.
ThatƵs where programs like ƵWalk-in WednesdaysƵ come into play, an initiative started two months ago that Mokas said makes it easier to get plugged in with jobs at SMMC.
ƵWhat we have found is that in this day and age with recruiting is that people have other jobs, they are busy with kids and whatever else, so what we have decided to do is make it a one-stop shop,Ƶ Mokas said.
Applicants can go to one of three Mountain Health Network locations and inquire about open positions, submit an application and interview and leave with a job offer on the same day.
ƵThey still have to pass a background check, they still have to do a drug screening, they still have to go through our pre-employment stuff, but in general if you come in and things go well, youƵll leave that morning or afternoon with a job offer from St. MaryƵs,Ƶ Mokas said.
Walk-In Wednesdays are held on the third Wednesday of each month. Applicants can go to one of three Mountain Health Network locations:
St. MaryƵs Medical Center, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Human Resources Department, fourth floor; holding interviews for RN, LPN and PCS positions.
St. MaryƵs Medical Management, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Medical Management Administration, Highlawn Medical Building Suite 301; holding interviews for LPN and CMA positions.
HIMG, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Community Room; holding interviews for LPN and CMA positions.
Two Walk-In Wednesday events have been held to date, and they are expected to continue on the current schedule for the foreseeable future as long as engagement stays up.
ƵWeƵve been very pleased with the numbers. Our first one we did last month we had six applicants that came in and found positions. This one I believe we ended up with four. Our thought process is that we are just trying to make it easy for people to get into positions with Mountain Health,Ƶ Mokas said.
ƵItƵs just a small part of what we are trying to do from a recruiting effort, to bring on new applicants into the system and St. MaryƵs and Cabell Huntington (Hospital),Ƶ he added.
The recruiting process also extends to those currently earning their degrees in the nursing field with a new tuition assistance program through Mountain Health Network.
The MHN Nurse Tuition Ƶsistance Award Program covers the cost of nursing courses, books, resources and fees for students admitted to St. MaryƵs School of Nursing.
The program also provides up to $5,000 per semester for four semesters to selected students admitted to another participating nursing school. Other participating schools include Marshall University School of Nursing and Ohio University Southern.
ƵWe know that the cost of education can often be an obstacle for students wishing to pursue a career in nursing, so we are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to area students to help them achieve their goals,Ƶ said Susan Beth Robinson, chief Human Resources officer for Mountain Health Network.
Opportunities at participating nursing schools are available for graduating high school students as well as students who are already enrolled. To apply for the program, students will need to follow the scholarship application guidelines for their selected school.
In order to qualify for selection, students must have a 2.5 overall GPA and agree to work as a registered nurse at Cabell Huntington Hospital or St. MaryƵs Medical Center for five years upon graduation. Students must maintain a 2.0 overall GPA to remain in the tuition assistance program.
For more information, visit or email Chris Mokas, director of Human Resources at St. Mary’s Medical Center, at Christopher.Mokas@st-marys.org.
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
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