Colleagues construct paths and programs for Building Their Careers Here
By Susan McDonald
Many people describe their job as more than a paycheck. Some feel it’s a calling, especially those working in healthcare. Others believe their profession reflects who they are as people. This deeper connection is true for Hartford HealthCare as an employer of more than 40,000 colleagues. Ours is not just the signature on your paycheck. Instead, leaders and teams from administration to human resources and from equity to public safety strive to create an environment where you want to come in to work, where you feel comfortable and safe and where you can find opportunities to help your career dreams take form.
This is part of our work to build a world-class workforce that feels fulfilled and supported while helping patients and communities across the state. It has meant being creative, methodical and assertive in working to meet the needs of the public and our valued colleagues. Evidence of this work is on the faces of colleagues all over the system.
Want to further your education and move up the job ladder? Tuition assistance pays up front for your courses.
Fresh out of nursing school – or working through medical school or residency – and needing support as you start your career? Programs like our nurse residency or medical student observership provide critical connections and live, ongoing support.
Up for a challenge? Various pathways and career ladders are in place to offer options on your current path or in striking out on a new one.
While many teams at Hartford HealthCare are helping thousands of patients each day, others are devising ways to help them. Here are some examples, relayed by actual colleagues. Can you see yourself in their story? Make the call.
Sky’ s the Limit
Imagine your future, see your potential and plot your path forward
By Hilary Waldman
Since it launched in February, more than 11,000 colleagues have visited HHC’s Career Exploration Tool on HHC Connect, where they can imagine the future, see their potential and plot a path forward.
This tool was developed because on colleague engagement surveys – people said they don’t just want a job, they want a career with options to learn, stretch, grow and maybe even head off in a completely new direction.
Depending on your interest, the Career Exploration Tool provides pathways to learn about clinical or nonclinical professions. You can learn what it takes to enter a specific field, see the opportunities that might be available now and the education or certification you might need to advance.
Included is information about programs such as HHC’s tuition assistance benefit and many academic partnerships that can help you achieve your career goals.
In June, HHC augmented the online tool with Career Exploration Week. In-person internal job fairs at many locations across the system attracted more than 400 colleagues interested in learning how they can grow their careers at HHC. Another week is planned for 2025.
ReadyCT program prepares recent healthcare workforce grads to be Part of the Pipeline
By Hilary Waldman
Before Anthony Roman got involved in Hartford HealthCare’s Allied Health Career Pathway, his goal was to become a NASCAR driver. Ambitious, he acknowledges, but not very realistic.
Today, the 2024 Hartford Public High School graduate still loves cars but the new finish line is in a radiology suite, not on a racetrack.
He’s starting with a job as a sterile processing technician at the Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital, trading cap and gown for gray scrubs almost immediately after getting his diploma.
Roman is among a group of recent high school graduates starting jobs at HHC after completing a program sponsored by ReadyCT, a nonprofit affiliate of the CT Business & Industry Association. The program partners with employers across Connecticut to help low-income and minority high school students improve their academic performance by providing tangible career pathways.
As part of this partnership, HHC sponsors career pathway sites for three high schools in underserved communities: Hartford, East Hartford and New Britain. A variety of workplace readiness programs are offered at its hospitals. Roman graduated from high school in June 2024 with certifications earned from 10th to 12th grade in first aid/CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed and certified nursing assistant. Following an internship at Hartford Hospital the summer before his senior year, he was recommended for an entry-level position in sterile processing at BJI.
Michael Snow, BJI sterile processing manager, became Roman’s mentor, noting that the high schoolto-hospital job readiness program promises to address a workforce shortage in his area, while providing opportunities to young people. In sterile processing, for example, someone like Roman can start with a high school diploma, earn a state certification, then earn an associate’s degree in health science, all while climbing the career and salary ladder at HHC.
Roman, whose interests also include Japanese literature, is looking into degree programs to become a radiology technician as his next step, although he believes the possibilities are endless.
The Real Reward
By Susan McDonald
Courtney Roberts has been to college several times since graduating from high school 18 years ago but sports injuries and a desire to make money to cover living expenses always intervened and left him without a degree.
Roberts, now a Total Rewards Program manager in human resources at Hartford HealthCare, says life – and a lack of funds – can get in the way of studying. He was thrilled when the system revamped its educational benefit this year to be an up-front tuition assistance payment instead of a tuition reimbursement plan.
After earning an associate’s degree using the former tuition reimbursement plan, he sees no limits to what he can accomplish academically. He’s about 40 credits away from a bachelor of science degree from Central Connecticut State University. Next will be the MBA and possibly even a doctorate, he says.
The Hartford HealthCare Tuition Assistance Program is designed to help colleagues advance their careers through college study.
The system offers qualified applicants the maximum benefit per calendar year as allowed by the IRS – up to $5,250 for full-time colleagues and up to $3,000 for part-time colleagues. This can be used toward degree or certificate programs that are job-related and prepare colleagues for growth.
These dollars go further at schools that have agreements with HHC to lower costs for its colleagues when they pursue degrees and professional certificates. Arrangements exist at Quinnipiac University, Post University, Salve Regina University, Elms College, Sacred Heart University and the University of Hartford.
For Roberts, it’s about advancing himself and setting a positive example for his daughter.
True Connections Take GRIT
By Levell Williams
Connecticut-based nonprofit ReadyCT launched the Get Ready! Immersive Traineeship (G.R.I.T.) summer program in 2022 to contribute to its mission of advancing academic excellence and career-connected learning for Connecticut public school students. They do this by connecting public schools with business, civic and education leaders.
Hartford HealthCare is one of the organizations across the region that has partnered with ReadyCT to host students and assign them to projects that help develop solutions for issues facing the organization.
The program deepens the HHC-ReadyCT partnership. During the five-week GRIT program, 10th- and 11th-graders from high schools in the Greater Hartford area address real-world business projects in a consultative manner. At the end of the program, students present their business case and recommendations to organization leaders in a showcase.
Top areas of study:
- Business administration
- Health sciences
- Nursing
Tuition Assistance By the Numbers
- 1,786 Applications FY24 May 2024 YTD
- 681 Graduates May 2023–May 2024
- $5,176,578 Tuition paid October 2022-May 2024
From Student to Nurse
Residency program paving the way
By Hilary Waldman
When Andrew Manka accepted his nursing degree from Western Connecticut State University in 2023, he felt ready to start his career as a critical care nurse.
He paid his way through school working as a nurse tech at St. Vincent’s Medical Center (and managing a car wash), and took every opportunity to watch physicians perform procedures to be ready for his dream job in the intensive care unit. Yet, the day he started was still a bit of a shock. “I didn’t realize how much I didn’t see as a tech.’’ Fortunately, he was not completely on his own.
Like every new Hartford HealthCare nurse since the summer of 2023, Manka was enrolled in a 12-month residency program designed to provide mentorship and competency resources to smooth the transition into clinical care.
One of 74 completing the first system-wide nurse residency program in spring 2024, Manka met monthly for peer mentorship and an evidence-based curriculum that augments hands-on training.
“I found it very useful,’’ says Manka, who works nights at SVMC. “It gave me tools you can use going from a learning to a care environment.”
His feedback is no surprise to MaryEllen “Mel” Kosturko, DNP, RN, HHC’s EVP and chief nursing officer, and her team members who work closely with the residency program team.
This evidence-based program is a structured support system that empowers new registered nurse graduates to become confident, competent nurses, ultimately leading to better patient care and a more robust nursing workforce.
“I am completely committed to and proud of founding our inaugural system-wide nurse residency program at HHC,” Kosturko says.
In its first year, more than 500 graduate nurses enrolled in the program, with six groups running at any given time, says Jo Ritchie, DNP, RN, senior director of nursing professional development. This ensures that every newly hired nurse with a year or less of professional practice experience gets extra support right from the start.
In The Curriculum
- Developing communication and leadership skills
- Strengthening professional commitment to nursing and forming a professional development plan
- Understanding HHC’s strategic framework and operating models
- Focusing on wellness to optimize work-life balance and a healthy work environment
- Using research-based evidence and data to improve patient outcomes
- Enhancing and using effective decision-making skills
Hitting New Heights
Medical assistants using career ladder to improve their skillsets
By Maggie Werner
Medical assistants (MAs) are at the heart of our healthcare team, helping connect patients and providers without skipping a beat, but some felt their careers had flat-lined.
To address the lack of growth and advancement opportunities for MAs and keep them from leaving their positions, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group leaders developed a system-wide career ladder that allows MAs to learn new skills and advance their careers here.
Since its introduction in April, more than 100 colleagues have advanced to the position of MA2, demonstrating competency in all aspects of their roles. These newly promoted colleagues have more responsibilities beyond the traditional MA scope.
This program highlights the importance of nurturing talent within the organization and reflects on the importance of honest feedback in our bi-annual engagement surveys.
What they’re saying:
“The MA career ladder has been instrumental in my professional journey, enriching my skills and job satisfaction while fostering lifelong learning.” – Stella Morales
“Raised by a single mother working two jobs and now a mother of three, I’ve always strived to provide more for my children. The MA career ladder offers me the opportunity to advance without additional schooling costs. Now an MA2, I look forward to becoming an MA lead and continuing to grow within HHC.” – Cristal Gonzalez
“Being promoted to MA2 connected me with new programs and colleagues at HHC, enhancing my passion for healthcare as I pursue my nursing license.” – Heather Burlingham
“The MA career ladder gives me a clear path to better support my team and patients. I’m grateful for this opportunity.” – Heather Smith
“The career ladder has enhanced my talents and leadership skills, inspiring me and others to excel.” – Analiz Felix
“The career ladder has provided opportunities for advancement and personal development within HHC. It has become a transformative force in my life, allowing me to acquire new skills, expand my knowledge and take on increasingly challenging and rewarding responsibilities.” – Jackie Mulqueen
“Becoming MA2 broadened my career opportunities and deepened my sense of purpose, both personally and professionally. The pay increase helps with my family’s needs.” – Holly Johnston
“The MA career ladder allows me to mentor colleagues and nurture talented MAs across HHC. I love what I do and having the career ladder means I don’t have to change my position to advance.”- Zaidamary Lucena-Martinez
“The MA career ladder has helped me grow in healthcare and be a stronger asset to my team. It’s also helped elevate my personal goals and I’m excited to achieve more within HHC.” – Noemi Ocegueda
Learning by Looking
Observership Program offers future providers real-time education and exposure to modern day practice
By Susan McDonald
Medical students face hours of study, lectures and clinical rotations but one of the most valuable elements of training is engaging with practicing doctors about their chosen field.
Select first- and second-year medical students at Quinnipiac University’s Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine have access to Hartford HealthCare providers in various specialties to observe and discuss their work through the system’s Observership Program. Many volunteer providers say they participate as a way of paying it forward.
As a University of Vermont undergraduate, I had access to an observership program linked to the medical school and met an influential mentor who got me interested in surgery and ended up writing me a letter of recommendation for medical school,” says Justin Van Backer, MD, a thoracic surgeon at MidState Medical Center. “I often think about his patience, kindness and encouragement and how important it was to me.”
The Observership Program, under the direction of manager Tasfia Rahman, allows students to shadow providers in a variety of medical specialties at Hartford HealthCare Medical Group sites as well as MidState and St. Vincent’s medical centers and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Providers host students, who complete confidentiality agreements and agree to HHC’s code of conduct, for several hours on select afternoons.
The experience, Dr. Van Backer notes, is key in a field that offers many options for practice.
“Medicine has many specialties/ areas and it can be hard to ‘find your place,’ which is where mentorship can play a strong role,” he says. “The importance of mentorship really can’t be overstated and being part of an observership program can be the first contact point to initiate that relationship.”
Kevin Maguire, MD, agrees.
“The Observership Program is essential to assist future providers with real-time education and exposure to modern day practice,” notes the plastic and reconstructive surgeon who calls his observership experience at the University of Massachusetts “instrumental in guiding my career development.”
Due to the wide availability of providers – 122 appointments were offered in 16 different specialties and 79 were claimed by Netter students – and positive feedback from the students, she says there are plans to expand the program.
“Netter students shared gratitude and appreciation for the program, which is a true depiction of Hartford HealthCare’s commitment to training the next generation of physicians,” Rahman says.
Northwest Surgery Team Exemplifies LEAN, H3W Behaviors
By Susan McDonald
When Scott Crawford, an H3W lean sensei in the System Support Office, wants to illustrate how Hartford HealthCare’s operating model and Lean behaviors can transform a workspace, he points to the Torrington general surgery practice.
There, he says practice manager Tina Webb and the surgeons, nurses, medical assistants and front desk colleagues embraced system guides to develop “a camaraderie that is second to none.”
The key, Webb notes, is having people who work well together. When she interviews candidates, she listens to what they’re saying in general instead of responses to interview questions. “I don’t ask textbook interview questions,” she begins, “I talk with them and get a feel for who they are and who they could be on our team.”
With more than 20 years management experience before arriving at HHC, Webb quickly recognizes someone’s ability and willingness to interact. “In healthcare, we’re engaging with patients all the time. They have to be able to connect,” she says.
Here’s a peek at her management philosophy:
- It starts with trust. “It goes both ways – the team trusts me to have courageous conversations and follow through and I trust them to do their jobs every day,” Webb says.
- Unity is a must. In some medical offices, she says “there seems to be a battle between the front and the back.” To overcome that, she cross-trains colleagues to cover for each other, creating understanding and a team that cares about each other.
- Huddles foster community. During a recent office renovation, the team skipped daily huddles for a few weeks. “They were begging for huddle to return! It’s a great way to start the day,” Webb laughs. Her huddles draw on Lean tools to create a safe environment for offering ideas and opportunities.
- Shared values are key. Because each team member wants to be there each day, they pull their weight, Webb says. “The work ethic is incredible. It’s like lightning in a bottle from the surgeons on down,” she notes.
- Everyone is equal. No one, she stresses, is treated any differently from others. For example, in a practice that only closes a handful of weekdays each year, coordinating holiday coverage can be challenging. Approaching holiday season, Webb reminded anyone who had days off last year that the opportunity needed to be available to other colleagues this year. “Everyone has a turn,” she says.
A medical assistant by training, Webb says the Lean model fits her highly organized personality and H3W “is just being a good human.” Blending the two ideologies together “makes a great team,” she says.