This past week, in the midst of a global pandemic, we've paused to celebrate Nurses Week 2020 and the 98,000 nurses across the HCA Healthcare enterprise, a proud partner of HealthTrust Workforce Solutions. While the last several weeks have challenged all of us, there have been shining examples of perseverance, resilience, teamwork, and even celebration. As we round out this annual salute to nurses, eight brave colleagues reflect on what they’ve experienced, the decisions they’ve made and the COVID-19 moments that have defined them. 

Congratulations to StaRN graduate Brittany Nixon, RN, on being named an Employee of the Month at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center! Brittany completed the StaRN program in January 2018 and has made a positive impact on both the staff and patients at this HCA Healthcare facility on Florida’s Treasure Coast. 

“Growing up, I've always enjoyed caring for others – it all began with my grandmother whom I've cared for since the age of 8,” Brittany says. “She is truly my inspiration. For every patient I provide care for, I always refer back to my grandmother and remind myself to be the nurse that I would want my grandmother to have!”

Ratsany Sananikone, RN earned her spot as a clinical HealthTrust Hero!

One of our HealthTrust team members visited Westside Regional Medical Center – located close to our corporate headquarters in South Florida – and received superior care from Ratsany during her time at the facility. 

Learn more about Ratsany's story:

Ornella Puente, RN, is our next clinical HealthTrust Hero!

Ornella earned her HealthTrust Hero status through her work in the ICU at Tampa Community Hospital in West Florida. While there, she has shown an undeniable commitment to helping her patients and their families during the most difficult of times.

Below is one example of her unyielding compassion to help those in need, as told her in HealthTrust Hero nomination:

Matthew Rickmon, RN is our next clinical HealthTrust Hero! Matthew began his career with HealthTrust in the StaRN program as a learner and now works for HCA’s LewisGale Regional Health System in Virginia. Most recently, he earned the distinction of “Rookie RN of the Year” in HCA’s Southwest Virginia market.

“The skills practiced in StaRN were quite beneficial, many of which were hands-on experiences that were not encountered too often in school/clinicals,” Matthew says. “I believe StaRN is a major contributor to the rate that I have been able to pick up on skills, knowledge, and overall confidence in the real world of nursing.”

We are proud to announce HealthTrust's first DAISY Award winner, Gloria Padilla! Gloria is a registered nurse at Pearland Medical Center near the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Amanda Moss, MSN, RN is a regional education manager for our StaRN program. A registered nurse for more than a decade, Amanda is inspiring new nurses in our Las Vegas market.

StaRN is designed to bridge the skills gap between new and experienced nurses through specialized training. In her role, Amanda is responsible for mentoring and educating newly-licensed nurses through skills training, simulation instruction, and other hands-on activities to prepare the nurses to work in specialized hospital units.

“I love my job,” says Amanda, who began her StaRN career as a clinical instructor. “And I get to teach about my passion.”

Trust and mutual respect are key for any working relationship, especially the relationship between a job seeker and a recruiter. For registered nurse Hillary Perez, these qualities were paramount in her search for a new traveler agency. 

Hillary's relationship with HealthTrust began earlier this year, and she has already chosen to extend her current travel contract. Her decision to remain with HealthTrust was due to one very particular reason: the bond she built with her recruiter, Philip Long.