Oregon Institute for Nursing Excellence

At PeaceHealth, our caregivers have the tools to heal, the strength to love and the spirit that makes a difference. In keeping with this commitment, the Oregon Institute for Nursing Excellence empowers our nurses at every stage of their careers.

With support from the institute, PeaceHealth’s nurses become leaders and innovators, influencing the art and science of nursing in our region and beyond.

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Nurturing nurses’ purpose and potential

Established in 2022 thanks to generous donors in our community and PeaceHealth’s foundations, the institute helps nurses thrive personally and professionally. We offer tools and resources our nurses can count on — so our patients can always count on our nurses.

“It's so important that we support our registered nurses in being able to practice at the highest level of their scope, independently and autonomously, so they can continue to support the community.”

— Heather Wall, RN
Chief Nursing Officer, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend

“The institute’s mission is to inspire nurses to perform at their best and deliver exceptional care to patients and families.”

— Nicole Gooding, MSHS, BN, NPD-BC
Director, Oregon Institute for Nursing Excellence

“It is clear to me that the important work of supporting and celebrating nurses must continue. Nurses are critical to the function and sustainability of a civil society. I feel strongly that the Institute for Nursing Excellence will elevate these professionals and the care they give.”

— Rosaria Haugland
Major donor, Oregon Institute for Nursing Excellence

Excellence in action

Two nurses outside of a medical center, talking and smiling

Re-imagining trauma education

How can trauma nurses advance their skills? When every second counts, online trainings aren’t always as effective or engaging as hands-on learning. That’s why nurses at PeaceHealth Peace Harbor, in Florence, Oregon, created an innovative training based on the experience of an escape room.

“Escape the Trauma Room” challenges staff with real-time simulations in a real trauma room. After reading a patient scenario, the team races against the clock to provide effective and time-sensitive care. The team that resuscitates the simulation patient the fastest while meeting all critical interventions wins the title of Escape the Trauma Room Champion.

In post-training surveys, 100% of participants found the escape room approach engaging, useful and applicable to their clinical practice.

Essential support for new nurses

Moving from the classroom to the bedside as a new nurse isn't always easy. At PeaceHealth, we recognize the challenges first-year nurses face and welcome them with personalized guidance in a safe, encouraging environment.

The Oregon Network’s nursing residency program, endowed in 2024 thanks to a $1.5 million gift from The Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation, eases the transition for new nurses so they can succeed — and our community can benefit from their expert care for years to come.

The residency matches first-year nurses with experienced RNs for close supervision and feedback to build confidence in their clinical skills. Giving new nurses this level of support has a remarkable impact: In 2024, our first-year turnover was about 30% lower than the national average.

Sharing our innovations on a national stage

PeaceHealth nurses’ creativity and impact on patients goes beyond our Lane County borders. Financial support from the institute allows them to present their great ideas and process innovations to national audiences.

In one recent example, nurses from PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend and Cottage Grove Community Medical Center teamed up to present at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Quality Summit. With their “Time Flies” poster, Megan S., BSN, RN, PCCN, SCRN and Bri E., RN, demonstrated a focused effort for critical access hospitals to reduce door-in-door-out and door-to-reperfusion times for patients experiencing massive heart attacks.

Support for excellence

Masked caregivers in a clinical setting having a discussion

Community support for nurses and nursing excellence makes PeaceHealth a great place to work. Donors like Rosaria Haugland make it all possible.

Haugland, a philanthropist, began her career as a biology and biochemistry research scientist. In 2022, her first gift of $1 million helped establish the Oregon Institute for Nursing Excellence.

In 2023, Haugland deepened her commitment to our nurses with another $500,000 to endow the Haugland Family Research & Innovation Fellows Program. The competitive fellowship gives PeaceHealth nurses financial support and flexibility to pursue research and innovation that benefits the practice of nursing.

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Excellence by design

The institute is organized around five centers, each with a different focus. This design allows us to meet nurses where they are today — and to help them grow to meet their future goals.

Center for Professional Practice and Clinical Education: Supports nurses in advancing their careers through education on the latest evidence-based care.
Center for Career Development and Retention: Inspires the next generation of nurses and opens doors to new careers opportunities for our existing nurses.
Center for Innovation and Research: Encourages nurses to develop and test improvements in patient care. These new ideas have influenced best practices for nursing locally and nationally.
Center for Professional Governance: Gives direct nursing staff the structure and support for collaborative decision-making with their leaders.
Center for Professional Nursing Recognitions: Honors nurses and nursing teams for outstanding professional practices.

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