The story was about one of NorthBay's nurses, Myra Somerville, who has enjoyed a long career with NorthBay and is an incredible mentor and humble expert on nursing, leading new nurses into a career that they will enjoy forever.

The story that Becky told was about how Myra had mentored new nurses on her unit and not only precepted them but gave them an empowering strength to be kind, compassionate and professional in their new career. Myra is mentoring Rowyn Graves who is the very first new graduate nurse in the recovery room.

Rowyn and Myra have a very special relationship that sometimes develops between a new nurse and their mentor. A while back Rowyn shared with me how special Myra is to her by stating, "She is so humble and doesn't want the spotlight but I will tell you that she is the most incredible mentor and so much more to me."

As an experienced nurse, Myra, not only precepts nurses but she contributes to nursing scholarships so that nursing students can have less of a financial burden while gaining their nursing degree. She remembers that a nurse had done that for her and so she felt that it was the best way to give back to her profession.

Myra's career accomplishments and her gift of education and mentoring to our new graduate nurses is a great story for the third sub-component of Structural Empowerment, which is Teaching and Role Development. In writing this piece of the Magnet application, we must describe and demonstrate how the organization accomplishes the following items:

• The structures and processes used by the organization to promote the teaching role of nurses;
• How nursing facilitates the effective transition of new graduate nurses into the work environment;
• How nurses support community educational activities; and
• How nurses support academic practicum experiences and serve as preceptors, instructors, adjunct faculty or faculty.

The Teaching and Role Development sub-component is seen in many different facets of the organization. Nurses teach classes, in-services and educate on new equipment and processes. There are also large educational productions, such as the annual skills fair and STEMI Boot Camp opportunities for nurses to gain education. Nurses also teach their colleagues and non-nursing clinicians on structures and processes within their specific department.

The R.N. Acute Care Entry program (RACE) exemplifies the "transition of new graduate nurses into the work environment" line item. This program has given NorthBay the opportunity to recruit and retain some very excellent nurses and establish a whole group of nurses that started at NorthBay healthcare in the RACE program and are now in positions of direct care and even leadership within the nursing division.

We have several examples of nurses who are mentors to those who are currently enrolled in various programs gaining their advanced practice degrees. One recent graduate, Deborah Thorson, R.N., director of Womens and Childrens Services, just received her master's in leadership and management. Deborah was mentored by Susan Gornall, R.N., Director or Perioperative Services. There are several nurses who were recently accepted to advanced degree programs, including Barbara Abeling who was accepted into UC Davis' Master's of Nursing program and will begin classes this September.

It is an exciting time for NorthBay Nurses who are looking to advance their education and/or teach or mentor new graduate nurses who continue to be hired at NorthBay Healthcare each year. As the economy causes a lot of healthcare facilities to put their new graduate nursing programs on hold, NorthBay Healthcare has kept our new graduate nursing program going providing for clinical training and hiring into the RACE program.

It is essential to the recruitment and retention of the nursing staff to continue to promote nursing as a career and give the new nursing graduates an opportunity to begin their careers. There is no other facility that I would want to RACE to the role of a nurse - NorthBay is the very best!

My next blog will cover the 4th and 5th sub-components of Structural Empowerment - watch for them coming soon!