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Testimonials

Student Volunteer Finds Calling in Nursing

Ever since she can remember, Lauren Roman has wanted to work in the healthcare field. At first, the recent Cheektowaga Central High School graduate thought about becoming a doctor, but after spending two summers working in the Student Volunteer Program at Sisters of Charity Hospital, St. Joseph Campus she focused all her energies on a career in nursing.

Her mother’s personal battle with cancer, when Lauren was just nine, also influenced her decision to pursue a career in healthcare. She saw firsthand what it was like to care for someone who was very sick and could see herself helping others in much the same way.

While at St. Joseph, Lauren volunteered in the Pre-op, Post-op and Emergency departments, observing staff and assisting in any way she could. This experience convinced her that her true calling was to be a nurse. This fall, Lauren will attend D’Youville College, where she received a partial scholarship to pursue her Nursing Degree.

She was also recently hired as a nurse assistant at Sisters of Charity Hospital, giving her valuable practical experience as she begins her nursing studies. Eventually, she hopes to become an oncology nurse to help other patients just like her mom.

“Lauren is a special student who knew early on that she wanted a career in healthcare,” said Nancy Preskop, recruitment program coordinator with Catholic Health. “Through her own hard work, and the opportunities available to her at Catholic Health, she will make her dreams come true.”

Nursing Student Gains Hands-On Experience

In high school, Jonathan Bieniek always thought he would pursue a career working with computers. Now, the 22 year-old will be a junior at D'Youville College, completing his Bachelor’s Degree to become a Registered Nurse, and he couldn’t be happier.

He is also one of 43 nursing students involved in a unique Immediate Treatment Assistant (ITA) program at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, which gives third year nursing students an opportunity to begin their nursing careers with Catholic Health while still in school.

Jonathan is a shining example of what Catholic Health likes to call, “growing its own.” For Jonathan, and dozens of other Catholic Health associates interested in a career in nursing, they can get some or all of their education paid for and gain valuable clinical experience, while still earning a paycheck.

“This is the best clinical experience in Western New York,” says Jonathan, referring to his job at Mercy Hospital. The ITA program offers competitive wages, flexible scheduling and important real life work experience, giving nursing students a competitive advantage once they receive their nursing degrees and begin looking for a permanent job.

Coupled with the generous recruitment benefits Catholic Health already offers, including early sign-on bonuses, relocation assistance, and hiring stipends, graduate nurses have the opportunity to earn additional money to pay for their education or supplement their incomes.

An Introduction to Healthcare

A part-time job when he was 17 working as a “hospitality helper” at Father Baker Manor in Orchard Park, also part of Catholic Health, opened Jonathan’s eyes to the field of healthcare and the rewards that come from helping others in their time of need. Two years later, he took advantage of another paid educational opportunity offered by Catholic Health to become a Certified Nurse Assistant. From there, he knew a career as a Registered Nurse wasn’t far in his future.

“Through my work at Father Baker, I saw firsthand how you could impact someone’s life and knew that nursing was the career for me,” Jonathan added. “To see someone come to our facility for rehab and then walk out the front door was such a good feeling.”

Immediate Treatment Assistant (ITA) Program

With a new career direction, Jonathan enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Erie Community College. Already working with Catholic Health, he joined Mercy’s ITA Program in 2007 to get more clinical experience while completing his nursing studies. ITA’s can perform most of the duties of a nurses’ aide and unit clerk, as well as draw blood, take blood pressures and perform electrocardiograms. They also gain valuable experience on the hospital’s clinical computer system, which is a real advantage for a graduate nurse.

The ITA program, the brainchild of Mary Ann Murphy and Carol Latona, Nursing Directors at Mercy Hospital, pairs up the third-year nursing students with experienced nurses in a variety of clinical settings. The students not only gain more practical experience than they would through their regular course work, but also become more comfortable working in a clinical setting and more familiar with the day-to-day activities of hospital-based nursing.

“The ITA program gives you a good foundation to put what you are learning in the classroom into practice in a very supportive environment,” Jonathan adds “The hospital and the nurses are there to support you and help you succeed. I would recommend this program to any nursing student who wants to jump start his or her career and hit the ground running once they graduate.”

Growing Within Catholic Health

After graduation, Jonathan plans on continuing his nursing career with Catholic Health. “As a nursing student, we get to work in different healthcare facilities and there is really something special about Catholic Health. You can feel the difference,” he explains. “I think it has to do with our Core Values, the vision of the organizations and everything we stand for…there’s really nothing else like it.”

As he continues to grow within Catholic Health, Jonathan’s ultimate goal is to become a nurse practitioner. With Catholic Health’s tuition assistance program, Jonathan has the financial support he needs to pursue his professional goals and advance his nursing career – just like he did with his very first job at Father Baker Manor.

Through his work at Mercy Hospital, Jonathan was recently asked to serve on a nursing user group committee to provide feedback on Catholic Health’s new nursing documentation computer system and clinical software. It may not be the computer career he had planned back in high school, but Jonathan’s right where he wants to be and his future looks brighter than ever.

More Information about Career Opportunities

If you would like more information on the Immediate Treatment Assistant (ITA) program or any of the Nursing career opportunities available in Catholic Health, call the Catholic Health Recruitment Center at 1-877-247-5989.