Investing in Providence's Nursing Workforce

With you, we can attract world-class nurses to Providence and ensure the best care for all of our patients.

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COVID-19 has placed a heavy burden on the nursing profession, prompting many nurses to leave or consider leaving this critically important role.

2 nurses in scrubsWith every life our nurses touch, they positively affect more than one individual, strengthening our communities and making the future brighter. A nurse’s vital work creates a better, healthier world for all, especially those who are most vulnerable.

The pandemic has stretched many nurses to their physical and/or mental limits and large numbers are walking away from the profession.

“The crisis is fed by a myriad of forces including a pandemic that shook us to our core, an increase in retirement and an increase in both patient acuity and volume due to significant delays in care related to the pandemic. We have also seen many local, state and federal mandates and pre-licensure limited admission capacity,” said Syl Trepenier, D.N.P., R.N., System Chief Nursing Officer at Providence.

Of 120,000 caregivers across our seven-state system, 48,000 are nurses—that’s 40% of our workforce.

A stop-gap measure to maintain staffing levels and ensure quality patient care has required contracting high-cost “agency” nurses, which is putting a financial strain on our ministries.


We must improve nurse satisfaction, better retain our valued nurses and attract new nurses—to ensure all patients continue to receive world-class care.

To stabilize our nursing workforce, we must simultaneously focus on hiring and onboarding and also finding ways to retain our registered nurses. Providence recognizes the importance in supporting residencies for all new graduate nurses—and remaining steadfast in promoting the well-being of nurses, investing in their development and promoting a culture of safety, equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging.

Toward that end, Providence has made a $9 million system-wide investment to retain our valued nurses and attract new nurses. The effort aims to:

  • Improve retention by offering current nursing staff growth opportunities through professional development and specialized training
  • Attract new nurses to the profession—especially those who may be at a financial disadvantage—by offering residencies, training, scholarships and tuition reimbursement

It is estimated these incentives will cost $9 million each year to sustain across our seven-state system—and this is why your support is so important.


You can help provide a pathway to nursing residency and fellowship.

Nurses sitting around a conference table.Providence’s Clinical Academy is a nationally accredited, evidence–based program that places new RN and nurse practitioner graduates directly into specialty positions through a year-long standard program.

Providence nursing leaders from across our family of organizations recognize that to deliver world-class care, we must provide new graduate nurses with a foundation for success. Whether a new graduate nurse (nurse resident) or a nurse in transition (nurse fellow), we want to empower our nurses to become transformational leaders through an integrated, consistent structure for preceptoring, nurse onboarding and professional development.

The accredited, evidence-based RN residency and fellowship program makes Providence a more attractive employer for new nurses and offers nurses in transition the opportunity to grow into a different specialty.

In the past five years, more than 16,000 nurses have participated in this program with an average 90% retention rate, a 50%improvement as compared to all other nursing positions. This increases both job satisfaction and dedication and leads to greater nursing excellence.

The Clinical Academy also serves to keep costs down by increasing nurse retention and decreasing the number of “agency” nurses needed to ensure proper staffing levels.


You can make scholarships and programs available to help nurses obtain accreditations and earn advanced degrees.

Scholarships can provide a career path for current high-achieving Providence caregivers who may not otherwise have the means to acquire a medical education or certification to advance into a nursing position.

In the past year, $3.9 million in tuition reimbursement benefits have been distributed to 1,680 nurses. This opportunity covers a very small amount of the average cost to obtain a nursing degree.

Financial support makes ongoing professional development and resources available for nurses to advance their academic credentials, certification status, clinical knowledge and skill sets—and gives deserving caregivers the opportunity to advance into nursing positions.


With your support, we can provide our valued nurses with professional development and advancement opportunities and attract new nurses— to ensure our ability to provide all patients with world-class care.

Funding Opportunities


Nursing with arms crossed.To ensure proper staffing levels and continued excellence in patient care, investment in nursing professional development through Providence Clinical Academy RN residency and fellowships and financial assistance for scholarships and continuing education is estimated to cost $9 million annually to sustain across our seven-state system--and this is why your support is so important.

Providence Clinical Academy RN residency and fellowship program

The accredited, evidence-based RN residency and fellowship program makes Providence a more attractive employer for new nurses and offers nurses in transition the opportunity to grow into a different specialty. This increases both job satisfaction and dedication and leads to greater nursing excellence.

The Clinical Academy also serves to keep costs down by increasing nurse retention and decreasing the number of “agency” nurses” needed to ensure proper staffing levels.

Specific Clinical Academy giving opportunities:

  • Support one nurse resident at Clinical Academy
  • Support one nurse fellow in a new specialty area
  • Provide tools and equipment for training
  • Endowed chair positions for Providence leaders teaching in the Clinical Academy

Financial aid for scholarships and continuing education

Financial support makes ongoing professional development and resources available for nurses to advance their academic credentials, certification status, clinical knowledge and skill sets—and gives deserving
caregivers the opportunity to advance into nursing positions.

Specific financial aid giving opportunities:

  • Financially support one RN (pre-licensure)
  • Scholarships to provide certifications
  • Scholarships for caregivers to move into nursing/clinical positions
  • Tuition reimbursement

With you, we can attract world-class nurses to Providence and ensure the best care for all of our patients.

Give Now

To explore the giving opportunity that is right for you, please contact

Laurie Kelley, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at Laurie.Kelley@Providence.org
Lindsey Oldridge, Director Philanthropy, at Lindsey.Oldridge@Providence.org
Andrew Tweedie, Director Corporate Partnerships, at Andrew.Tweedie@Providence.org