Wesley ranked second in ‘best hospital to work for’

COURTESY

WSU nursing students take turns practicing standard procedures on each other at Wesley Medical Center. The WSU School of Nursing hopes to collaborate with Kansas State University on a satellite program in Manhattan.

Many of the nurses at Wesley all have one thing in common; the staff operates like a family with close coworker relationships. The staff also believes “the facility listens to its staff and works on problem areas,” said a survey by Nurses.org.

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

Wesley is a teaching hospital, and many Wichita State nursing students have internships there, so they can get valuable hands-on experience, skills and familiarity with hospitals and their nursing field.

Taylor Coons began working at Wesley in Aug. 2017. She had worked at one other hospital in Olathe as a green 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.”

Recently, Coons 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.

Not only did the hospital help her in her time of need, but they do many other things as well. From bringing in food trucks, participating in Nurse’s week, and providing incentives like cruises, the hospital tends to its nurses as best they can.

Even with the recent outbreak of the flu, 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.”