One Public Hospital's Journey to Nursing Excellence: Professional Practice as the Foundation

In 2000, the vacancy rate for registered nurses at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (VMC) was 16%, and registered nurses (RNs) were placed on the hospital's “endangered species” list—a list of those healthcare professionals whose recruitment and retention had to be seriously addressed for the organization to remain viable into the future. Implementation of California's nurse-to-patient ratio legislation, which would substantially increase the demand for nurses, was expected to occur in 2004, and we knew we had to create a better work environment to become an employer of choice.