![Nursing Branded Photos - 3](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=150%2C94 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=200%2C125 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=225%2C141 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=300%2C188 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=400%2C250 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=540%2C338 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=640%2C400 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=750%2C469 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/b4/7b48c476-f4e0-5efc-aa2d-f37c28a57ea8/6634021853879.image.png?resize=800%2C500 990w)
Of the millions of Americans whose lives and careers were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps those impacted most were the very men and women dedicated to helping others during the worst national health crisis in more than a century.
Since the onset of the deadly virus in winter of 2019, hospitals across the country have reported record levels of physician and nurse burnout, with almost a third of hospital staff surveyed saying they’ve either left or are planning to leave the profession.
At the same time, the U.S. population has been aging, with about 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day until the year 2030. Not only are they leaving jobs in healthcare, they’re also likely candidates for hospital visits and stays.
According to the American Hospital Association, the pandemic has pushed the healthcare system to the brink. The result has left hospitals nationwide in desperate need for more nurses and medical assistants.
People are also reading…
One St. Louis health system has stepped up to meet the challenge — and increase its nursing pool — with a range of innovative programs that enable nursing school students to afford their educations and receive expert training in their fields.
![Nursing Branded Photos - 1](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=150%2C94 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=200%2C125 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=225%2C141 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=300%2C188 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C250 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=540%2C338 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=640%2C400 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=750%2C469 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fd/1fd32620-66cb-54d3-ae60-06d458c3e5d6/66340218575d7.image.jpg?resize=800%2C500 990w)
At Mercy South, the third-largest hospital in greater St. Louis, the Mercy Nurse Externship program pays students during winter and summer breaks while providing them experience with direct and indirect patient care, understanding nurses’ roles in an acute care facility, and engaging in additional clinical preceptor time to increase approved nursing skills.
The “Earn As You Learn” program at Mercy South is another innovative opportunity that pays nursing students while they complete their clinical senior practicum. This graduation requirement is a paid externship where nursing students prepare for NCLEX boards and become clinical experts while immersed in the Mercy culture.
The Unlicensed Assistive Personnel program lets anyone enter the workforce, even with zero healthcare experience. Another program pays and trains students to be primary care assistants. Regardless of the program, all nursing students working at Mercy South are eligible for tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness.
“We would never want someone to not get into nursing because they can’t afford it,” said Leah Jensen, executive director of nursing at Mercy South. “That would be heartbreaking! If somebody feels called to serve in the nursing profession, in any capacity, we want to make that happen for them.”
But the gem of the Mercy South student programs is Win from Within, introduced in the fall of 2020 in partnership with St. Louis Community College.
Students enrolled in nursing at any of SLCC’s four campuses receive financial support for tuition and related expenses while also holding paid, part-time positions as patient care associates or in nonclinical support roles that are scheduled around their classes. In return, the students agree to a two-year work commitment at Mercy South after graduating.
This May, 11 students from SLCC are graduating from the college with nursing degrees and completing the Win from Within program with full-time jobs at Mercy South, as well as sign-on bonuses.
The program is giving these students more than future jobs.
“They’re very glad to have the opportunity to work and to be getting financial help,” said Kim Kraft, district nursing clinical coordinator and student placement coordinator for SLCC. “But they’re also getting professional support and mentoring and the opportunity to become part of the Mercy culture.”
Win from Within is so successful that this semester it has grown to include 84 students at SLCC participating from Mercy South. Now, the hospital is in discussions with administrators at Lindbergh High School to introduce even younger students to careers in healthcare.
“We want to help students find their passion in life,” Jensen said. “Hopefully, they’ll fall in love with our culture and stay at Mercy South to serve our community.
“It’s a great way to start off their careers, without graduating with $100,000 in debt!” she added.
For information on Win from Within and other nursing programs at Mercy South, please visit careers.mercy.net.
![Mercy LOGO](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=150%2C57&order=crop%2Cresize 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=200%2C76&order=crop%2Cresize 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=225%2C85&order=crop%2Cresize 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=300%2C114&order=crop%2Cresize 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=400%2C152&order=crop%2Cresize 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/ea/bea30e8b-95c9-5566-9abd-ce692672da38/6450203fbbfc1.image.jpg?crop=422%2C160%2C176%2C1&resize=422%2C160&order=crop%2Cresize 540w)