Embracing clinical excellence
At DaVita, clinical excellence isn't a guiding principle; it's a standard in our goal of becoming the provider, partner and employer of choice. First and foremost, clinical excellence starts with each of our approximately 20,000 patient care technicians (PCTs) and 16,000 nurses – teammates dedicated to providing patients with a caring experience leading to the safest outcomes throughout their kidney care journey.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the healthcare industry will add nearly 2.6 million jobs between 2021 and 2031 – the most of any industry. These numbers are exciting to hear as we experience a sense of pre-pandemic stability and look to increase our workforce year over year. It’s also energizing to think about the new generation of talent that will help DaVita shape the future of kidney care.
Developing and identifying talent
As a company, we leverage a dynamic training curriculum to develop our PCTs and nurses, producing competent and confident caregivers. We lead by listening to teammates and understanding the career pathways they need to succeed within our organization. When teammates feel connected, they have confidence in themselves and the care process, leading to better patient experiences.
DaVita is collaborating with Chamberlain University on a nephrology-practice specialty curriculum. It would include online courses and a clinical practicum with a hands-on learning experience that is planned to launch in early 2024. We want to generate passion for students to pursue nephrology and allow these future caregivers to see how fulfilling a career in the field really is. Students become nurses because they want to make a difference in people’s lives – and working with kidney care patients who require ongoing, life-sustaining care is all about creating meaningful connections.
Providing opportunities for career growth
One way we support teammates is by investing in their professional development. Clinical Ladders is our five-level career mapping model that provides our teammates with the tools and resources needed to grow their careers at their own pace. It’s a thoughtful program that is reflective of our teammates’ ask for clear role definitions that are easy to understand and defined competencies so they know how to get from one level to the next. Since the introduction of Clinical Ladders, we’ve promoted 11,000 teammates!
Another fantastic initiative is Bridge to Your Dreams (BTYD), which helps combat the nursing shortage by empowering our PCTs to become nurses through financial and educational support. More than 1,450 teammates have participated in BTYD, and we recently made two critical program changes based on our teammates’ feedback. Teammates can now apply every month instead of twice a year and we’re accepting manager-level applicants in a pilot program. We’ve had 119 teammates graduate as new nurses since the program began – and we have another 150 on track to do so this year.
In addition, over 1,400 teammates have received $3.5 million in tuition reimbursement to pursue their academic ambitions in 2022 alone. Our vision is to have teammates be hired and then retire with DaVita. Through programs that demonstrate how invested we are in our people, each teammate can have a longstanding career that is truly fulfilling, always meeting them where they are in their journey.
Recognizing our teammates
We know meaningful recognition makes a difference to our workforce and also contributes to happiness and retention. One example is our 56 nurse nominees for this year’s prestigious DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses, where caregivers nationwide are honored for their commitment to patient care. DaVita is the largest and only dialysis provider who adopts this annual recognition. I'm always inspired by teammates' stories of compassion, kindness, empathy and selflessness; it's truly the highest form of validation for their excellent work. The accolade is also special because it reminds us to prioritize clinical excellence. Nephrology caregivers are responsible for lowering hospitalization and mortality rates and allowing patients more moments with their families, friends and communities. It's at the core of what our teammates do every day and why we continue to invest in them as a top priority.
Learn more about how DaVita invests in its teammates to achieve clinical excellence at davita.com/about/together-we-give-life.