NURSING EXCELLENCE AT SARATOGA HOSPITAL

A Commitment to ExcellenceWe are committed to nursing excellence – a caring approach that supports the well-being of patients, their families, our colleagues, and our nurses. Our success comes from our incredible nursing staff. We embrace shared decision making and believe in fostering a nursing environment that is safe, collaborative, and offers opportunity for continuous professional advancement while offering our patients exceptional care at every level.

In 2004, Saratoga Hospital became the first in the region to achieve Magnet recognition for nursing excellence, earning re-designation again in 2010, 2015, 2020, and in 2025. Fewer than 1 percent of U.S. hospitals have earned Magnet status five consecutive times, and we strive every day to maintain that standard.

Nursing Annual Report

View the 2023 Nursing Annual Report (PDF) to learn more about the invaluable contributions our nurses made throughout the year.

Nursing Education & Professional Development Opportunities

We believe in supporting our nurses’ dreams of higher education and professional development. This is why we offer multiple opportunities to advance your career through higher degrees, certifications, leadership development, committee membership, residency, internships, scholarships, and advancement opportunities.

The PEAK Program provides a developmental pathway for our registered nurses by acknowledging nursing excellence and offering ongoing opportunities for acquiring new knowledge, personal growth, and fostering collaborative relationships. This program is accessible to all Registered Nurses, whether they are in full-time or part-time positions.

Objectives of the PEAK Program:

• Promote and recognize nursing excellence, aligning with Magnet Components
• Encourage continuous acquisition of clinical knowledge
• Support both professional and personal development
• Foster team growth and create highly engaged staff

Saratoga Hospital’s RN Residency Program provides recent RN graduates with a comprehensive transition-to-practice program upon hiring. All new graduates are automatically entered into this program.

Areas of residency include:

• Medical/Surgical Units
• Intensive Care Unit
• Emergency Department
• Labor & Delivery
• Mental Health Unit
• Ambulatory Practices

For more information, please contact:

Lesley Caracci MS, RN
RN Residency Program Coordinator
Clinical Education Department
lcaracci@saratogahospital.org
518-886-5340

Susan Lewsey
Senior Recruitment Specialist
Human Resources
slewsey@saratogahospital.org
518-886-5705

Our 10-week summer internships provide nursing students with an educational opportunity to improve their nursing skills in the clinical setting while also receiving summer employment. There are two internship options.

Summer Nurse Internship I

Program Description

• Directed and supervised by a Registered Nurse
• Provide direct patient care, gain hands-on experience, and enhance assessment skills
• Development of organizational and time management skills
• Work in a collegial relationship with RNs and gain a better understanding of professional practice
• Educational in-services presented throughout the summer to further supplement the learning process
• Receive a competitive salary
• Centralized and unit-based orientation provided
• Pipeline program—Upon successful completion, interns recruited to apply for a Patient Care Assistant position with flexible hours to meet the demands of the academic year
• Interns encouraged to apply for Summer Nurse II Intern position

Commitment

• Selected interns must commit to all program dates. No exceptions!
• Must be prepared for a full 36–40-hour commitment per week
• Weekend rotation required
• May be required to work a holiday
• Must be available for a day and/or night shift position

Eligibility Qualifications

• Attained junior status in the fall
• Anticipate graduation within two years from the end of the program
• Cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0. Transcript will be required after completion

Summer Nurse II Internship

Program Description

• Directed and supervised by a Registered Nurse
• Provide direct patient care, gain hands-on experience, and enhance assessment skills
• Development of organizational and time management skills
• Work in a collegial relationship with RNs and gain a better understanding of professional practice
• Educational in-services presented throughout the summer to further supplement the learning process
• Receive a competitive salary
• Centralized and unit-based orientation provided
• Nursing Care Model combines Relationship-Based Care with an Evidence-Based Approach for a stronger connection between the nursing care team and the patient while assisting with an enhanced individualized approach to deliver appropriate care
• Magnet culture that includes teamwork, professionalism, mutual respect
• Acquire valuable insight into the various key roles of a professional nurse
• Pipeline Program—Upon successful completion, interns recruited to apply for a Patient Care Assistant position with flexible hours to meet the demands of the academic year
• Interns recruited to apply for our New Graduate Nurse Residency Program

Commitment

• Selected interns must commit to all program dates. No exceptions!
• Must be prepared for a full 36–40-hour commitment per week
• Weekend rotation required
• May be required to work a holiday
• Must be available for a day and/or night shift position

The Nursing Scholarship Program was established in 2002. Since then, more than 200 scholarship recipients have graduated with associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees in nursing and approximately 40 annually earn their degrees each year. Our competitive benefits include a generous tuition assistance option that can be used as part of our partnership program with Maria College for an RN to BS degree program, as well as for financial support in pursuing general and specialty certifications.

Sacred Heart University, of Fairfield, Connecticut has partnered with Saratoga Hospital to provide online nursing academic programs for the Nursing Organization. Having a team of peers is a great way to journey through a program. It provides the opportunity to build relationships of support. The program offers the continuation of your education and critical thinking development. Pursuing a BSN and or a graduate degree in nursing supports the pursuit of a nursing career at the organizational level. New employees may be eligible to join at the beginning of the next consecutive session.

What portion of the Tuition and Fees is the hospital funding?
For Saratoga Hospital employed registered nurses who are part of the BSN Cohort, the hospital will receive the invoices directly from the school and process payment. The hospital, with successful academic progression in the RN to BSN or BSN to MSN (non-provider) programs will fund the cost of the program with full funding of tuition and fees. Additional fees such as books can be processed with submission of itemized bills.

Certification in a Nursing Specialty validates specialized knowledge, skills, and experience. At Saratoga Hospital we promote certification and plan strategies each year to provide nurses with tools to assist them with their pursuit. Typically, a registered nurse must work in a specialty for approximately two years to establish eligibility to achieve board certification in the specialty. We track and monitor certification rates.

Sign-on bonuses are offered to both registered nurses and graduate nurses, based on their years of experience and area of specialty.

Loan forgiveness opportunities are also available, subject to experience and employment criteria.

Recognizing Exceptional Nurses

Saratoga Hospital is proud to recognize members of our nursing team for their care, compassion, dedication, and teamwork. No accomplishment or act of kindness is too small to go unnoticed. We support and celebrate our nurses’ hard work and continuous commitment to their patients.

DAISY Awards

The DAISY Award is celebrated each month to highlight exceptional care by our nurses. The nursing excellence award is based on nominations submitted by patients and their families. Learn more about the DAISY Award and nominate a nurse today!

Nursing Excellence Awards

Each year, nursing professionals are nominated by their colleagues as examples of nursing excellence in categories such as Innovator in Nursing, Transformational Leader, Licensed Practical Nurse of the Year, Exemplary Professional Practice RN, Nurse Extender of the Year, and Nurse Empowerment.