Care Dimensions’ education benefits helped Diana Bishop reach her goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. Watch her interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYy5BKAqO0I.

Education Benefits Help Nurses Advance Their Careers

To provide the best quality hospice and palliative care, Care Dimensions strongly invests in its employees. In addition to in-service training and certification preparation, Care Dimensions offers several education benefits, including tuition reimbursement, scholarships, student loan pay-down and refinancing, and its own hospice nurse residency program.

Three hospice nurses share how Care Dimensions’ education benefits helped them advance their careers.

Education benefits allow nurse to realize her dream

Diana Bishop graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Salem State University in 2015 and worked for two years in long-term care facilities. She was impressed by the Care Dimensions clinical staff who came to those facilities to care for hospice patients, and in 2017 she joined Care Dimensions as an RN case manager. A year later, she decided to return to school to pursue her Master of Science in Nursing so she could focus on her goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.

“I was able to switch from case manager to admissions, which gave me the flexibility I needed for my schoolwork,” Diana said. She worked 32 hours over three weekdays and devoted the other two weekdays to school. Although she had reduced her hours, she was able to pay for school through Care Dimensions’ tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs. In addition, she lowered her BSN debt considerably through the student loan pay-down program Care Dimensions offers through Gradifi.

Diana earned her MSN in May of 2022. She switched to working evenings and studied during the day for her nurse practitioner examination. In January 2023, she passed her exam to attain her goal.  

“I’m grateful for my job, the education benefits, and my managers, who are very accommodating,” said Diana. “Having this encouragement to go to school is wonderful. Every company should offer this. My future is bright!”
 

Hospice nurse residency was ‘game changer’

Care Dimensions’ Hospice Nurse Residency Program provides in-depth education and on-the-job training for new nursing graduates and experienced nurses. For Marjorie Lebowitz, who was drawn to hospice nursing at mid-life, the residency program presented a can’t-miss opportunity.

Marjorie had worked as a respiratory therapist at a North Shore hospital for several years when her mother, who previously had been a hospice volunteer in Maine, received hospice care. “I felt the call to hospice work rather than the work at the hospital,” said Marjorie. “I knew I wanted to be a hospice nurse.”

Marjorie had taken hospice volunteer training while working as a respiratory therapist. She asked about career options at Care Dimensions but learned that she needed nursing experience. “I decided it was now or never, so I got into nursing school. I wanted to make myself a good candidate for the Hospice Nurse Residency Program, so I worked weekend nights as an aide at the Kaplan Family Hospice House while in nursing school.” The plan paid off, as Marjorie was selected for the nurse residency class that started in September 2019.

“I learned how to work with hospice patients and their families,” recalled Marjorie. “I shadowed every type of clinical person Care Dimensions has – RN case managers, admission nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains, even a palliative care physician. The residency was an amazing gift that allowed me to pursue my dream. For people who are looking to change their career to hospice nursing, it is a game changer.”

From part-time LPN to full-time hospice RN

Jessica Baratz joined Care Dimensions in 2015 as an LPN and has used its tuition reimbursement program to advance her education and career.

Shortly after coming to Care Dimensions, Jessica was accepted into an LPN-RN BSN program at Salem State University. “I was able to stay employed during school with the help of my managers,” Jessica recalled. “They allowed me to have a flexible schedule and time off when I needed it. On school breaks, I would pick up shifts. The tuition reimbursement was always helpful as during the school semesters I would work less. These funds helped to ease the financial toll going back to school full time takes.”

After earning her degree, Jessica passed her RN exam and moved into a full-time role as an RN float.

“I have always worked various hours and roles here at Care Dimensions,” said Jessica, who has been an LPN float, LPN triage nurse, RN float, RN case manager, RN Baylor, and now RN triage nurse. “I’ve seen patients throughout our service area, and have worked days, nights, and weekends. I’ve needed that flexibility and appreciated my managers’ willingness to accommodate my schedule.”

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About the author

Lisa Conti is Senior Marketing Communications Specialist for Care Dimensions and manages its Voices of Care blog.