San Antonio Community Hospital Rewards Certified Staff for ‘Going the Extra Mile’

Operating from the standpoint that a solid knowledge base is an essential element for a top nursing staff, the administration of San Antonio Community Hospital provides an annual $3,000 bonus to each registered nurse who achieves or maintains certification in his or her field of practice. “We want to maintain a high standard,” noted Marina Karkas, nurse recruiter for the Upland, California, hospital. The bonus is paid out in the winter months to all qualified staff, who must maintain a satisfactory performance appraisal rating.

In addition to the bonus, nursing staff can also tap into the hospital’s tuition reimbursement program to help defray the cost of the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) or other certification exams. Between 50% and 60% of the 45 nurses in the emergency department are CENs, Karkas said.

The staff thinks it’s very generous – they’re very appreciative of it,” she commented. “We’re very appreciative of the staff for going that extra mile to get their certification. The knowledge they bring back is wonderful, and it provides great benefits to the hospital.”

The certification bonus program was put in place at San Antonio Community Hospital approximately four years ago by the vice president of nursing, Karkas explained. “She decided to start a program that would both recognize the staff and encourage them to bring their knowledge base to us,” she added. “The more knowledge they have, the better nurses they become.”

The bonus has proven to be an effective retention and recruiting tool, and the hospital promotes the program through job fair flyers and the hospital’s nursing newsletter. “There’s been great word of mouth, too,” shared Karkas. “Staff really like that the bonus is offered to part-timers, too, though at a prorated amount.”