Earn while you learn and build your career with Samaritan

Published on: September 5, 2024

It’s no secret that there is a shortage in the workforce, and now – more than ever – is the time for jobseekers to consider caring for their community while improving their career. Investing in dedicated healthcare professionals is critical when it comes to the future of providing quality care to those who need it, and Samaritan strives to do just that.

“Caring is at the heart of everything we do,” says Tom Carman, president and CEO of Samaritan. “Our caregivers are proud to care for our community. We proudly support the education and development of our caregivers who aspire to continue to deliver compassionate and quality care.”

Samaritan offers dedicated candidates rewarding career opportunities, excellent benefits and professional development, and the ability to make a real difference in healthcare throughout our surrounding communities.

Breanna Knapp, a medical-surgical registered nurse (RN) at Samaritan Medical Center, said, “I started working at Samaritan when I was 17-years-old working in the kitchen. While I was delivering trays, I noticed the patients were happy to see us, especially when we brought the food. That made me feel good, so I decided to become a nursing assistant (NA) and continued working while attending school for my RN degree.” 

Knapp is just one of many healthcare professionals who utilized her benefits through Samaritan like flexible scheduling and loan forgiveness to climb the career ladder. 

Expanded opportunities for learning – nurse residency

Participating in a well-structured nurse residency program is a good way to help recent nursing graduates transition into a range of clinical practices. Samaritan’s program encompasses organization orientation, preceptor-led practice-based experience, and supplemental activities to promote nursing competencies and interprofessional collaboration.

At Samaritan Medical Center, we provide the comprehensive resources and support necessary for success. We offer nurse residency programs in the ED, ICU, PCU, Medical-Surgical, peri-OP, and maternity and pediatrics units. These programs are specifically designed to monitor and mentor new graduate nurses during their first year.

Sarah Wallace, RN, completed Samaritan’s Emergency Department Nurse Residency Program in 2023. She said, “It’s a great opportunity and educational experience. You learn different things about different areas and floors of the hospital, and how patient care starting in the Emergency Department can help those floors or areas. I love that I can take what I learn and then educate the patients.” 

Setting the tone and leading the way

Whether taking advantage of educational benefits, or maintaining their current career path, our team of caregivers are supported by an organization whose ongoing strategic planning drives Samaritan forward, sets the tone for future growth and development, and offers stable, market rate paying jobs with guaranteed hours —all while providing a high quality of care for the community.

“We’re looking for employees who not only want to contribute to Samaritan’s growth, but grow with us,” says Cynthia Cassell, nursing recruiter for Samaritan. “This is a place of collaboration, driven by a team togetherness that translates across all departments. People love to be a part of this, even in the bustling world of healthcare.”

Supported by superior benefits

Samaritan and its affiliates offer a robust and competitive benefits package to its employees. These packages are the finest among Northern New York businesses; and with their combination of sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive health insurance, retirement support, paid time off (PTO) and community discount programs, each are a clear reflection of how much Samaritan cares about its employees, their health and their families.

“Each benefits package was developed with our employees in mind and how best to support them both inside and outside of work,” says Chris Rowe, executive director of human resources at Samaritan. “Our caregivers are what make our care exceptional, and their well-being means everything.”

Samaritan is proud to invest in the future of its employees by providing financial assistance and professional guidance to individuals interested in enhancing job knowledge or developing skills that foster growth in healthcare careers.

“One of the best ways we can support our employees is by encouraging their development,” says Rowe. “The more they can grow in their careers, the more they can accomplish for themselves, their families and our entire community. There are countless stories of employees that started in dietary and are now RNs and other roles.  We helped them achieve their career goals.”

Some of the ways Samaritan helps its employees develop—and make an even bigger difference—include the following:

Tuition assistance or reimbursement – Some employees are eligible for tuition assistance or reimbursement. There are various requirements, and each case may differ. Potential employees or current employees are encouraged to contact Human Resources to see if there are options available to them.

Excellence through Collaboration Education and Leadership EXCEL Program – This program is designed to cultivate promising leaders within Samaritan who create and promote an engaged workforce and a culture of excellence; and focuses on such leadership competencies as delegating responsibility, communicating with impact, and building organizational talent. Upon completion, learning to lead the Samaritan Way will enable leaders to learn practical leadership skills; provide opportunities for personal and professional growth and development; and much more.

Interested in joining our Samaritan team? If so, learn about career opportunities at https://samaritanhealth.com/careers/careers-education/ or call (315) 779-5236.