Welcome to Meriter Hospital
Hello, I'm Barb Pinekenstein, Chief Nursing Officer at Meriter. On behalf of Meriter, I'd like to welcome you to Patient Care Services. Meriter is committed to personalized care and services that exceed the expectations of our patients and families. Patient care services staff live the Meriter mission, vision and values by their commitment to sustaining a healing environment that demonstrates respect for patients, families and staff. We embrace standards of excellence and promote a healthy workplace.
There are many exciting features reflecting Meriter's approach to quality patient care we are proud to share.
- Our Collaborative Practice Model is an interdisciplinary professional practice model that encourages partnership and dialogue. The model is built upon core beliefs and guiding principles of patient care and is supported by an organizational structure based on unit councils and communities of care.
- We enjoy stable leadership and experienced staff mentorship support, achieved not only through our Nurse Residency and Nurse Extern programs, but through the one-on-one relationships between individual staff as well. The average Meriter nurse has more than 12 years of seniority, which exceeds most other hospital trends nationally.
- Our RN vacancy rates are some of the lowest in the country. We have sustained less than a 3% vacancy rate over the past
four years while many hospitals are challenged with rates of 12% or more.
- We have implemented an integrated electronic medical record documentation system that supports nursing documentation at the bedside.
- We offer very competitive, market-driven compensation and benefits that include but are not limited to attractive scheduling options, on-site child care, educational loan assistance for new RN graduates and continuing education funding.
There are a number of organizational goals and strategies which have allowed Meriter to achieve outstanding patient satisfaction and clinical quality outcomes. Review Meriter's actual measured results for clinical safety, clinical excellence and quality patient service through the Commitment to Quality section of this Web site.
Consider joining the Meriter team through a variety of career opportunities across the spectrum of service areas available at Meriter!
 Barb
Pinekenstein
Chief Nursing Officer
Meriter Hospital
A Variety of Education Opportunities
In addition to tuition reimbursement for degree credit courses, Meriter nurses have access to a variety of continuing education classes to support professional development including:
- A comprehensive critical care course
- The Acute Care Concepts course
- CPR instruction for both providers and instructors
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- Spirituality and Ethics
- RISEN (Reinvesting Spirituality and Ethics in our Networks)
- Preceptor and Charge Nurse Workshops
- The annual Patient Care Education Day Conference
These courses are available in the classroom setting. Meriter also offers several computer-based learning opportunities as well. These classes are also available to the employees of regional hospitals. For more information, contact Meriter Nursing Education at (608) 417-6420.
A Solid Orientation to Your New Job
Because we value education and the importance of nurses in our organization, Meriter provides a complete nursing orientation. In addition to a general, one and a half day orientation to the Meriter system, nurses receive seven and a half days of classroom education interspersed with unit-specific orientation.
Previous attendees have found Meriter's orientation to be very helpful. A few of their comments:
- "The nursing educators were all very helpful and professional... really made me feel at ease with starting a new job."
- "A great opportunity to bond with other new nurses."
- "The hands-on was extremely helpful to me because I learn best by doing."
- "I felt valued by staff because of all the time provided for orientation."
- "Everyone I have been in contact with from Human Resources, to Pastoral Care to Nurse Educators have been so extremely helpful and patient. Your willingness to help and go at our pace really has helped me feel comfortable and welcome."
Opportunities at Meriter Home Health
In addition to career opportunities at Meriter Hospital, there are many opportunities at Meriter Home Health for those in the nursing profession. Benefits of working at Meriter Home Health include:
- Flexible hours.
- Recognized in the Elite Top 500 Home Care Agencies in the country for the quality of care we provide.
- Autonomy for working independently.
- Opportunity to work on a multidisciplinary team including skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social worker, speech language pathologist and home health aide.
- Manageable caseload gives the opportunity to develop close relationships with patients and families.
- Opportunities to work with new technology such as Telehealth monitoring.
- Play a pivotal role in assisting patients to stay in their own homes.
- Competitive salary and benefit packages.
- Excellent tuition reimbursement program.
Take the Next Steps!
Read about the steps you can take to learn more about nursing, and nursing at Meriter - see the green bar on your right!
If you're interested in becoming a nurse at Meriter, please review our current nursing jobs and apply online through the Meriter Careers section.4/27/2008
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My Meriter Story - Nursing at Meriter
 "Working at Meriter has given me the opportunity to touch so many lives. I currently work in the NICU, taking care of tiny premature babies and sick newborns. Taking care of these babies, watching them grow and helping their parents through this very stressful time is so very gratifying. I have never regretted my decision to become a nurse or to work at Meriter."
Julie Rice, RN
Meriter Newborn Intensive Care Unit
 "Meriter
is filled with nurses who welcome the challenge, every day, of working with our
patients. I see my colleagues give of themselves emotionally while actively
problem solving to provide excellent care to our patients. Nursing is not just a
set of skills, it is an art and a science; being a nurse at Meriter allows me to
experience both perspectives. It is that interface - where humanness meets
technology, skill and critical thinking - that keeps me in the profession and at
Meriter."
Krisna Wells, RN
Meriter Heart Hospital
 "Nursing has allowed me to support people during the challenging moments. Our patients don’t plan to visit the emergency room and I enjoy helping them work through the experience. Every day in the emergency room is different. The diverse patient base requires a breadth of knowledge. Every day I learn something new."
Karil Walther, RN
Meriter Emergency Services
 "About
20 years ago, I was a busy mother of two sons and a full-time dental assistant.
I wasn't thinking about a new career until emergency nursing chose me. Around
that time, I experienced first-hand how a local ambulance crew cared for my
neighbor. They were so professional and caring that I was impressed enough to
begin training to become part of the team. During that training,
I spent significant time in the local ER. It was then that I became hooked on ER
nursing. Seventeen years later, now a charge nurse in Madison's busiest
Emergency Department, I know that the diversity and challenges can be
overwhelming, but always rewarding."
Margaret Harting, RN
Meriter Emergency Services
 "Being a nurse at Meriter has added tremendous growth to my nursing practice. It has provided me with continuous learning opportunities and encouragement to be the best nurse I can be. Meriter's strong commitment to excellence is extraordinary."
Amy Isola, RN
Meriter Heart Hospital
 "The
nursing profession offers rewarding challenges. Every day, we face tests that
require us to incorporate our skills with changing technology in order to
provide superior services while maintaining our primary focus of caring for
patients. I find that Meriter's mission embraces nurses' roles - to heal, teach
and bring service to others. Nursing is a passion and a lifestyle for me. I am
blessed to be able to work alongside others in the Meriter Birthing Center who
share in this striving for excellence."
Angie Denu, RN
Meriter Birthing Center
Take the Next Steps!
Apply Online for a Nursing Career at Meriter
Review Meriter's current nursing jobs and apply online through the Meriter Careers section.Learn About Our Seasonal Nursing Program
Meriter is proud to be the only hospital in Wisconsin to offer a seasonal, per diem program for registered nurses. Learn more now!Discover Our Nurse Residency Program Meriter is proud to offer a nurse residency program with two clinical tracks from which to choose: cardiac/critical care or medical/surgical nursing. Learn more now!
Research Meriter and Madison
Learn More About Nursing
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