Celebrating Excellence: The Unparalleled Impact of Nurses

After 16 years with MinuteClinic and more than 35 in the nursing field, I am constantly amazed by how much health care has transformed. As we move toward more team-and value-based care models, it’s clear nurses have played a key role in supporting, influencing and shaping health decisions to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable care. As I reflect on my journey as a nursing professional this National Nurses Month, I’m also celebrating all the NPs, RNs, and LPN/LVNs across our practice and the collective workforce who make such a difference in the lives of our patients.?

?For 21 years in a row, nursing has been ranked the most trusted profession in the U.S. That acknowledgment is a true testament to the professionalism, tireless dedication and passion of nurses everywhere who put their patients and our communities first. This nursing designation and the profession’s caring connection to the patients they serve is a token of pride.?

I’ve been privileged to oversee the growth and development of many MinuteClinic nurses, and as I continue my journey as a leader, I’m excited to do my part in ensuring the next generation of nursing professionals can practice at the highest level of their education and training.??

At CVS Health, a strong culture of nursing exists across our businesses, with more than 12,000 nurses working in areas from chronic care management to home infusion. There are a variety of nursing opportunities to choose from, and every nurse plays an important role in the health and well-being of our communities.????

As a leading employer of nurses in the U.S., we are proud to foster an environment where they feel valued, heard and respected. And as the first retail clinic to be a Pathway to Excellence ? designated organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), MinuteClinic maintains a culture of nursing excellence to ensure a quality patient experience.?

Here are just a few ways we invest in and honor our nursing workforce every day:?

Health and Well-being Initiatives. Staff well-being is essential to our practice. To help our nurses better care for their wellness, this month, we’re incorporating resources and benefits that address provider fatigue, physical and mental health, financial security and community.?

Our nurses can choose from an array of educational resources and benefits via the Thrive app or our intranet to take advantage of PTO, fitness classes and much more.?

Enterprise-Wide Acknowledgement. Each of our MinuteClinic nurses brings their heart to every moment of their patient’s health, and over the years, have made a significant impact in advancing health and well-being across our communities. They are shining examples of caregiver excellence – delivering convenient, accessible, affordable and high-quality care with compassion. MinuteClinic nurses go above and beyond to advance a culture of excellence and their efforts should be recognized. In the last year, dozens of MinuteClinic nurses have been honored for exemplary performance, in and outside of the exam room.?

Most recently, my colleague Lori Phinney received a Patriot Award from the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for providing outstanding support as a senior practice manager to a provider who was an active service member during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, two nurse leaders, Billie Abdi and Minoka McPherson, accepted a Corporate Roundtable Award from the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) for MinuteClinic’s health equity commitment.??

In 2022, 12 nurse practitioners won Preceptor of the Year for their outstanding mentorship contributions, and Nurse Practitioner Jill Colpitts was recognized as a CVS Health Paragon Award recipient — one of our organization’s top colleague honors — for her outstanding dedication as a caregiver to both her patients and local community.??

It goes without saying that our purpose to bring our hearts to every moment of a patient’s health could not happen without our nurses, and we are committed to acknowledging their contributions at every turn.?

Team-Based Support. The nursing mentors I’ve had the pleasure of learning from throughout my career have helped me go far beyond what I ever imagined in my early years as a nurse practitioner. That’s why I believe mentorship must be an integral part of professional practice as it provides nurses with the opportunity to grow into current roles and offers the support and preparation needed for future career progression. I’m proud to say that we integrate mentorship into every step of professional development at MinuteClinic.??

At the start of our nurses’ clinical journey, we pair them with a preceptor who teaches and guides them through successful role attainment. In addition, nurses have a readily available network of nurse mentors with whom they collaborate, glean expertise from and work alongside as they grow their nursing careers within our organization.?

Each of our nursing care team members are enabled and empowered to practice at the top of their education and training. In doing so, MinuteClinic nurses are essential in helping build a team-based care model that places the patient at the center of all we do and ensures quality care delivery that makes a difference.?

Clinical & Professional Development. We are deeply committed to the professional growth and development of our organization’s nurses. We invest in ongoing clinical training, education and knowledge support by offering online learning courses where providers can sharpen their skills, as well as a variety of clinical resources including learning libraries, tip sheets, real-time clinical references, virtual clinical consultation and leadership development programs.??

A good example of this is our age-friendly care services . Since 2018, we’ve collaborated with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) — supported by a grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation — to train & prepare MinuteClinic nurses in providing evidence-based, quality care for our older adult population. As we continue in this academic partnership, with the support of the IHI and the University of California San Francisco, we’re on track to provide virtual education to more than 3,300 nurse practitioners and 1,200 nurses.?

In addition to their compassionate caring, MinuteClinic nurses are skilled, qualified health care professionals who deliver evidence-based care with quality, safety and practice excellence.??

Recently, a patient visited a clinic in New Market, MD, for recurring strep throat symptoms. While examining the patient, the nurse practitioner discovered an abnormal heart sound. Though the patient was asymptomatic, the nurse practitioner made a strong clinical recommendation to the patient’s family to promptly follow up with a cardiologist. Following the clinician’s recommendation, the patient was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.??

A nurse practitioner in Columbus, OH, had a similar case. When her patient presented with an eight-year history of shortness of breath and fatigue symptoms, rather than attributing it to the patient’s weight as had been done previously, she dug deeper. Following a detailed history and physical exam, the nurse practitioner worked with the patient to have a prompt cardiology evaluation. After an echocardiogram, the patient was identified as having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which could have resulted in a heart attack.?

Nurse practitioners Janine Kim and Lyndsey Patterson were simply doing their jobs. And, in doing so, made an important difference in the lives of their patients and their patients’ families. Exemplars of the entire MinuteClinic nursing team, Janine and Lyndsey demonstrate a deep commitment and dedication to quality, safe care delivered with compassion.?

This is why I’m so proud to celebrate and recognize all MinuteClinic nursing colleagues as well as each and every care delivery professional in this vital area of health care. Happy National Nurses Month!?