Many of the nurses at Wesley have one thing in common — they feel that the staff operates like a family. They also believes “the facility listens to its staff and works on problem areas,”according to a survey through Nurses.org.

Wesley Hospital was recently ranked the second-best hospital to work as a nurse in Kansas for 2017. In a survey conducted at 96 hospitals across Kansas, nurses were asked to review their workplace satisfaction and to list pros and cons about their workplace.

Wesley is a teaching hospital, and many Wichita State nursing students have internships there to gain hands-on experience, skills and familiarity with hospitals and the nursing field.

Taylor Coons began working at Wesley in August. Previously, she worked at another hospital in Olathe as a new nursing student before, and while her experience there was a positive one, Taylor was emphatic about her love for her coworkers at Wesley.

“It’s like a family,” Coons said. “Wesley does a lot for its nurses.”

Coons recently endured the loss of a beloved family member. She said her coworkers made sure her shifts were taken care of, and the Wesley staff sent flowers to the funeral.

The hospital has brought in food trucks, participated in Nurse’s week, and provided incentives like cruises to tend to its nurses.

With the recent flu outbreak, many of the nurses have been working longer shifts in order to meet the needs of the influx of patients. Recognizing their hard work, the facility brought dinner in for the exhausted nurses.

Both Indica Crane, another WSU nursing student, and Coons said Wesley has excellent flexibility with notoriously busy school schedules. Both Crane and Coons have bosses that are willing to work around their school schedules to ensure that they get the hours and experience they need without conflict. They agreed that Wesley is dedicated to ensuring the success of their nursing students.

“I feel Wesley genuinely wants to help its nursing students find the area that they are passionate about and do what they can to get us there,” Crane said. “Wesley as a whole is invested in helping its employees find the area or unit that makes them excited to go to work.”