Given the national shortage of nurses, one way a health system can build stability in its workforce is by fostering career growth among current staff. The UAB Medicine/Wallace State Community College (UAB/WSCC) Nursing Workforce Initiative (NWI) creates a pathway for full-time UAB Medicine employees to advance their career by earning a licensed practical nurse (LPN) certificate or associate degree in nursing (ADN), effective in 2023. Enrollment in the NWI has increased tenfold since it launched in 2022 as a scholarship program funded by UAB Medicine.

Digital technology is used throughout UAB Medicine for virtual visits, remote patient monitoring, treatment procedures, collecting and using patient data, and much more. In recent years, nursing at UAB Medicine has made greater use of telehealth with approaches that are here to stay – at the bedside, in clinics, and in patients’ homes. These new approaches also help nurses provide more flexible patient care and make better use of the knowledge that experienced nurses have.

The WE CARE program was created to promote resiliency in UAB Medicine’s nursing workforce, in part by implementing evidence-based training to address burnout, suicide, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. This grant-funded initiative also seeks to meet the needs of nursing staff through rounding and by identifying and addressing issues that cause distress.

At UAB Medicine, we design programs and opportunities for our nursing team members to develop their personal and professional skills. We empower nurses to be more autonomous – to advocate, collaborate, and innovate with the goal of providing the highest quality, evidence-based care. Learn more below about our 2022 career growth and engagement opportunities and their impact.

UAB Medicine maintains its Magnet designation through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which recognizes organizations for excellence in nursing and improved patient outcomes. Only about 10% of hospitals are Magnet-designated, and UAB Medicine is one of only 21 health care facilities worldwide to have achieved Magnet designation five consecutive times.

When patients are admitted to the hospital through the Emergency Department, they often have to wait there until a room is available. This “boarding” of patients in the ED is the result of many factors, including high occupancy rates. Capacity concerns and ED overcrowding peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, so UAB Medicine nursing leadership designed […]

At UAB Medicine, we hire talented, caring people who are committed to our mission. Our nursing staff make a positive impact across the Birmingham area and beyond, as reflected by our national recognitions and certifications. We have also created internal honors that reinforce our Core Values and spotlight staff who raise the bar for nursing […]

In 2022, three UAB Medicine nursing professionals created two endowed scholarships for underrepresented students seeking careers in nursing. The creators of these UAB School of Nursing scholarships hope they will help eliminate obstacles for deserving students and increase diversity within the nursing profession. The Lindsey M. Harris, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, Alabama State Nurses Association Endowed […]

The nurses who work in UAB Medicine’s 170 ambulatory clinics see the delivery of care and patient outcomes from a unique perspective. Is there a way to use their insights to improve UAB Medicine? That question led to the creation of the Ambulatory Nurse Practice Council (ANPC) by nurses themselves. The council organizes the diverse […]

The World Games The 11th edition of The World Games (TWG) was held in Birmingham, Ala., July 7-17, 2022, with UAB Medicine serving as the official medical sponsor. UAB supplied medical volunteers to oversee the health and medical safety of all participants, spectators, volunteers, and others associated with the events. UAB health care providers organized […]

The COVID-19 pandemic changed our nursing communication in many ways. Nursing leaders established creative and innovative ways to turn challenging times into positive information-sharing sessions across the organization. A few of these examples are summarized below: This story is part of the Nursing Annual Report 2022. Click here to view the report.