IOWA CITY, Iowa — A new program at University of Iowa Health Care is putting students in real-world experiences while also supporting hospital staff.
The 'unit partner' program put students directly in the University's hospital as an extra set of hands for the nurses and patient care technicians.
Since the program began in 2022, more than 200 students have served as unit partners at UIHC. Many of those students are already planning careers in the health care industry, giving UIHC a head start on recruiting nursing staff. Recruitment is a challenge hospitals all across the country are facing.
The program in partnership with the University's College of Nursing. However, students do not have to be nursing majors to participate.
What began with a pilot cohort of just 18 students in the spring of 2022 jumped to 11 unit partners that fall. More than 90% of unit partners remain employed at the hospital six months after hire, according to the university.
Program leaders say it's a cost-effective way to address turnover rates while supporting a demanding workload.
“I’m really proud of this partnership between the hospital and the university. It puts students’ needs first while also considering the needs of staff. But I think the people benefiting from this program the most are our patients. They are getting the care they deserve," Jessica McDaniel, a nursing practice leader at UI Hospitals and Clinics said in a press release.
One of the creators of this program is Julie Boothby, a nursing practice leader for the Medical Surgical Services division at UIHC. She joined The Current on News 8 to discuss the program's success and plans for the future. You can catch the full interview in the above video.
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