The DiversityNursing.com Focus on Diversity series is a venue for employers to showcase their culture, identity, and commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. This week, we are proud to highlight Community Health Network.
Caregivers are the foundation of Community Health Network
At Community Health Network, our mission is to enhance health and well-being across the communities we serve. Over the last three years, our organization has significantly deepened its commitment to the area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), both inside and outside the organization. We have undertaken wide-ranging DEI initiatives, made major financial investments, and enhanced our DEI team. Our promise of “Exceptional care. Simply delivered.” means we strive to provide culturally competent care that meets the needs of our patients and caregivers.
Our Caregivers Are an Inspiration
Community Culture
We boldly live our mission every day. In fact, every Community employee is a “Caregiver”.
Service to the community is at the cornerstone of everything we do and our foundation for exceptional care. Our caregivers build strong teams that deliver exceptional care through empathy, communication and collaboration.
By putting the patient first, we create an environment that promotes health and well-being.
Our caregivers have confidence in the future of the organization and consistently consider us a leader in the following areas:
- Generous Total Rewards benefits package
- Work/Life flexibility balance
- Strong values and ethics
- Supportive management
- Caregiver appreciation
- Learning and professional development opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement
Learn more about why our caregivers love working for Community in the video: Why Work at Community?
Nursing at Community
At Community, caregivers play a vital role in our mission. Our teams deliver exceptional care through empathy, communication and collaboration. Caregivers play a vital role in our mission as they fulfill our PRIIDE values: Patients First. Relationships. Integrity. Inclusion. Diversity. Excellence.
At the forefront of every effort is our talented team of more than 5,000 nurses.
Nurses play a vital role in Community’s mission, both as frontline caregivers and in highly innovative roles in facilities management, finance, IT, supply chain and other administrative areas. We proudly invest in their success.
Our commitment to recruiting the brightest nurses is one reason we are ranked among the top 20 integrated healthcare networks in the nation and consistently ranked by Forbes as one of the largest and best employers in both US and State categories.
We know that putting patients first means having highly-skilled nurses on every unit, in each location and in all of the communities we serve. By working together as a team, Community nurses play a vital role in helping create optimal outcomes for all our patients.
How do we do this?
- In every nursing area, from research to clinical nurse specialists, we believe in caring for the whole person.
- We’re dedicated to nurturing the mind, body and spirit with compassion for each individual’s health and well-being.
- We support nurses through educational and credentialing opportunities, such as:
- New Graduate Nurse Residency Program to help with the transition to the professional nurse role
- Schools of Nursing clinical learning experiences
- The Nursing Academy in partnership with the University of Indianapolis
Community Health Network is a premier site for undergraduate and graduate nursing and advanced practice provider (APP) education in central Indiana. Community also provides externships and clinical placements for nursing support staff, including medical assistants.
Click here to learn more about what Community offers nursing students
No matter where you are on your nursing or APP journey, if you are considering a career in these fields or attending one of our affiliated educational institutions, Community Health Network can provide opportunities for your career development.
Everything we do as nurses enhances and elevates the healthcare experience. It’s also an opportunity to be recognized for your skills, knowledge and experience, as well as your ability to make a difference…one patient at a time.
Congratulations Vayana Walker – Community Student Achievement Scholarship Winner!
Vayana intends to enroll in Ivy Tech's nursing program in the fall! We asked Vayana to explain why she chose nursing as a career and to offer some advice to other students considering a career in healthcare.
Why are you considering a career in nursing?
I am choosing a career in nursing to make a difference in other people's lives.
What are the motivating factors in your life that have encouraged you to be in the healthcare field?
The motivating factor that has encouraged me to be in the healthcare field is the increased need for African American nurses. There is need a to increase African American staffing and students to promote diversity within the profession and to decrease healthcare disparities.
What would you tell other students looking to get into college and nursing? Why should they consider nursing as a career?
I would tell other students to prepare, and research nursing before taking the first step. I would tell them that nursing isn't just about a paycheck, it must be your calling. They should consider the career because of direct patient care, constant learning, and job security.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within Nursing and Beyond
Together, we focus on awareness, interaction and acceptance of all as we value the differences that each person brings to the Community team in caring and serving our patients and their families.
To achieve this, we help our caregivers develop cultural competency skills so they can better relate to patients and each other. A variety of employee resource groups offer safe spaces for collaboration, connectivity and conversations among participants. We believe in recognizing and celebrating all our caregivers for their unique talents.
We want to ensure that each patient, caregiver, physician, and volunteer feels welcomed, comfortable, and included in our environment at all times. We value different perspectives and welcome conversations about race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and culture.
Because it takes everyone to build healthier communities.
Our commitment to the communities we serve is not just internal, but goes beyond our walls. Our community partnerships and presence at community outreach events - such as INShape Black and Minority Health Fair, Circle City IN Pride Festival and Latino Expo - allow us to reach people in new and innovative ways to address root causes of health inequity and improve health outcomes.
Our promise of Exceptional care. Simply delivered. means we strive to provide culturally-competent care that meets your individual needs.
For nursing specifically, this means:
- Focusing on the intentional recruitment and retention of diverse RNs, PCTs and MAs through development of targeted strategies.
- Mandating diversity in peer hiring interviews.
- Establishing, measuring and improving meaningful partnerships with nursing schools at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- Continuing assertive involvement with the Indiana Center for Nursing NEEDS Initiative
- Creating a recruitment and development MA to RN pipeline for nurses of color
- Supporting and fostering diverse caregiver resource groups, foundations and partnerships
- Establishing key local connections with Black sororities and fraternities with collaborations for recruitment, mentorships, internships and scholarships.
- Inspiring 180+ Community nursing leaders to take the national Nurses’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Pledge sponsored by the Indiana Organization of Nurse Leaders.
Community Health Network aims to be a leader in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). To guide our work, we established six integrated pillars of focus, each with their own objective and goals that speak to the expansion of DEI across the network and in the state of Indiana. Review the executive summary of our DEI Strategic Plan and read more about the six pillars below.
Community’s Six Pillars of DEI
How to Apply
If you are passionate about excellence and innovation, we invite you to apply and discover the many possibilities for your future on our team. Click here to apply today!
Ask about eligibility for hiring bonuses and other great benefits!
Caregiver Stories.
Still not Convinced? Havn’t appled yet? What are you waiting for!
Caregivers at Community choose to work here for a variety of reaseons, but one thing is certain. Caregivers Love Community!
Read more about why they believe Community would be a great choice to start or continue your career!
Community Caregiver Showcase!
Claudia Rodriguez
Cardiovascular ICU RN, BSN
Education: Anderson University
Years Experience: 1yr New Grad
What did your educational journey look like?
I did the traditional four-year route to becoming a nurse while working as a patient care technician. It was particularly challenging since I had a 2-year-old to raise but I knew it wouldn’t be impossible. Though I was difficult I'm proud to be a first-generation college graduate in my family.
What Interested you in applying to Community Health Network?
For my 2-week leadership capstone during nursing school, I shadowed an ICU director within Community Network. I attended multiple meetings that highlighted how managers, directors, and other leaders discussed staffing topics. I was amazed to see how community health's administration collectively showed compassion towards their staff. It was right after the second wave of COVID when mental health and exhaustion was affecting nurses everywhere but, at community their top priority was their staff's well-being. After speaking with some of the nursing staff, they all agreed that they felt heard, appreciated, and cared for.
What inspired you to choose a career in healthcare?
I wanted a career where I could continuously learn, challenge myself, and serve others. I want to be able to go home after a shift and be proud of what I accomplished.
How does Community help you thrive as a Caregiver?
Community provides me with the necessary resources I may need to expand my knowledge and skills while providing compassionate care towards my patients.
What makes your job fun/rewarding?
Nurses invest so much onto the care of our patients that the most rewarding thing is to see is your patients or family members remembering your name and what you did for them during a difficult time.
Destinee Stuve
RN Maternity
Education: Ivy Tech
Years Experience: 3yrs
What did your educational journey look like?
Before coming to Community, I worked at another healthcare network as a postpartum nurse. I am a people person and love being able to engage with my patients and connect with them on some level even if for the short amount of time we spend with them.
What Interested you in applying to Community Health Network?
I was encouraged to apply during my last labor and delivery experience. My nurses were wonderful and I was able to talk with them and they encouraged me to apply to some open positions on the unit.
What inspired you to choose a career in healthcare?
I have always enjoyed helping others and connecting with people. When I had my daughters, I knew that maternity/OB was the only thing I could imagine myself doing.
How does Community help you thrive as a Caregiver?
My coworkers and management are very supportive of my goals both as a nurse and as a person. I enjoy event planning and decorating. Nurse management has given me outlets to channel my creativity into benefiting team members and patient morale. CHN has a great work-life balance and is very understanding when there are personal issues that arise.
What makes your job fun/rewarding?
Being with my patients as they experience the birth of a child is the most rewarding thing. I think no matter if it’s the first or the fifth, there is something magical about bringing life into the world and I am honored to be a part of the journey.
Mia Mackenzie
RN PCU
Education: Indiana State University
Years Experience: >6 months
What did your educational journey look like?
This is my first position out of school. My nursing program was a five-semester course. So during my first year at school, I was taking all my prerequisites to get into the program and studying well enough so I would be accepted. I was also learning how to be a D1 college athlete which was exciting and busy. When I was accepted into the nursing program, clinicals and a heavy workload started on top of practices and meets. Somehow I was able to find a routine that worked for me and still gave me time for somewhat of a social life. Time management and being able to cooperate well with others are qualities I took away from my time in college and I am thankful for them. While I was able to learn in different units and with different types of nurses, I had a hard time trying to decide what I wanted to do after I graduated. There were so many different options, and I had a few different interests, but I was able to tell myself that no matter where I started out, it was going to be a great learning experience and help shape my nursing career. I had great mentors in school who helped me prepare for my life after college and especially pass the NCLEX.
What Interested you in applying to Community Health Network?
Growing up in the area I have always heard Community North was a great hospital. When it came time to start applying for jobs, Community stuck out to me because I already knew a close friend who had just started working at North and I also have a family friend that used to work at Community. I eventually found other connections through Community and started communicating with people and getting advice on what unit would be ideal for me and how to go about applying.
What inspired you to choose a career in healthcare?
My senior year of high school, I still was unsure about what I wanted to do with my life. I really enjoyed my anatomy and science classes, so I narrowed it down to nursing, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. No one in my family really has a profession in healthcare so it was a first for us all. I did not know where I was going to college until the mid-second semester of my senior year so I felt a lot of pressure trying to make any decision. When Indiana State reached out to me to recruit me for a track, I learned about their nursing program and only heard good things so it seemed like the right fit. I am thankful to Indiana State for allowing me to obtain my nursing education as well as finish out my track and field career.
How does Community help you thrive as a Caregiver?
Community takes pride in its values and demonstrates the importance of continuing education. The online learning modules that are due every few months, remind us of topics we may have forgotten or teach us new things that are changing throughout our unit. We recently have had some changes in the unit with different products, techniques, and steps added to our charting process. This forces nurses to be flexible and open-minded which all lead to us being better caregivers.
What makes your job fun/rewarding?
My coworkers make my job more fun. I work with a lot of helpful, kind, and funny people who always keep me laughing at work. When I have patients who joke around with me and just want to have a casual conversation that also makes the job more fun. A rewarding part of my job is hearing how appreciative the patients can be and thinking about how I play a role in their healing process and helping them get back to their normal lives.
4 Tips for Taking the NCLEX
If you’re a recent nursing school graduate, congratulations! That’s no small accomplishment. Especially when balancing school
with other demands such as work, family, and friends.
Now you face another big hurdle: the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses, better known as the NCLEX.
“Nursing is one of the most challenging professions in healthcare,” says Jean Putnam, executive vice president and chief nursing officer for Community Health Network. “The NCLEX is designed to test your knowledge and skills — to see if you’re up for the job.”
Putnam shares some helpful tips to keep in mind when preparing for the exam.
1. Have the right mindset
“The NCLEX isn’t about memorization,” says Putnam. “It’s about your judgment. The exam focuses on using critical thinking in different scenarios.”
“Think about what each scenario is telling you,” she continues. “Ask yourself what could be going on here? What’s your role as a nurse? How can you apply what you’ve learned? It’s important to keep this in mind throughout your study prep.”
2. Use your resources
“Our nursing schools do a really good job of helping graduates prepare,” says Putnam. “They’re invested in your success. And they have a lot of great resources you can use.”
And, if you have the opportunity to work in a healthcare setting, it’s important to be curious. Ask questions. Learn from the experience of other nurses. That’s what makes you better.
3. Give yourself time
“Cramming doesn’t work,” says Putnam. “There’s too much material. You can’t possibly learn and retain everything. You’re only going to cause yourself more stress.”
The key is to make sure you’re not just reading, but taking in what it means. “Set aside time and try to make studying part of your regular routine,” she suggests. “Find what works best for you.”
4. Be kind to yourself
“You know more than you think you know,” says Putnam. “So trust your gut. Try not to let the pressure overwhelm you. It’ll be okay!”
“What’s the worst that could happen?” she asks. “If you don’t pass the first time, there’ll be other chances. And we’ll do all we can to help — because we need every single one of you!”
For more about nursing education, placement opportunities, and career development, visit our Nursing Education page.
Exceptional caregivers. Exceptional careers.
Honors and Awards
We feel grateful when other organizations acknowledge our organization and the hard work of our caregivers. We are proud to be Indiana's highest-rated healthcare network to work for!
America’s Best Large Employers 2023 – Forbes - #24 in the US
America's Best Employers By State 2022 - Forbes - #3 in Indiana
At Community Health Network, investing in our team is essential to providing patients with exceptional care. That’s why we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Places to Work in the state. Caregivers are the foundation of our network.
Find an exceptional career that cares for you and your community by visiting us at eCommunity.com/careers for more information.
Everything we do as nurses enhances and elevates the healthcare experience. Reach out to a recruiter today and ask about how you can join the Community team today!
To learn more about the DiversityNursing.com "Focus on Diversity" series, please contact:
