EDGEWOOD — A Northern Kentucky hospital is among just five in the nation profiled by The Advisory Board Co. as a “destination” hospital for nurses.

        St. Elizabeth, which includes units in Covington, Edgewood and Grant County, was profiled along with Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, St. Lucie Hospital in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento as examples of hospitals that have unique approaches to creating an outstanding work environment for nurses.

        “We selected the five hospitals to profile from a larger group of outstanding hospitals with great work environments,” said Perri Strawn, practice manager of the Advisory Board's Nursing Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. “We couldn't profile all the hospitals.”

        Diane Ruark, 55, a nurse at St. Elizabeth for more than 34 years, said Wednesday the hospital was selected for its profile “because of the way people are treated. It's a great place to work.”

        The Advisory Board selected the five institutions for a profile based on their accomplishments, their diversity, and the potential for others to learn from their practices. Criteria for selection included low nurse turnover and vacancy rates, location in a competitive market, a strategic approach to management, a reputation for excellence in patient care, and an outstanding place to work among peers.

        Ms. Ruark, who graduated from the hospital's nursing school in 1967, the next-to-last graduating class before the school closed in 1968, said St. Elizabeth employees work as a team “but we are treated as individuals. People ask me when I'm going to retire, but I have no plans to retire. I love to come to work.”

        Madonna Keen, 36, coordinator for the hospital's mobile mammography unit, has worked at St. Elizabeth since 1985. Her mother worked at the hospital and her sister, Marion Schulte, works for women's outpatient services.

        “It's an empowered work force, a family,” she said. “It's not only on the staff level. I've been staff and management and there are a lot of wonderful people here. That's why the turnover is so low.”

        Ms. Strawn said St. Elizabeth was not judged in comparison to the other four hospitals profiled, but rather on how it compared to the Greater Cincinnati market.

        “Each of the (five) hospitals profiled has a different approach to making it a great place to work,” she said.

A tale of two pilots
Cold snap brings more house fires
Unhappy new year: Time to pay more
Boyfriend faces murder charge
Activist objects to G.I. Joe
DNA tests approved in slaying case
Nominee pool wider, deeper
Norwood jobs merged by new council
Stadium surface going bald
Tomain domain: minting lawyers
Tristate A.M. Report
U.S. Navy waits for no man - or baby
Volunteers in multiple roles at city school
HOWARD: Some Good News
PULFER: Public money
Complaint says arrest invasive
Middletown council names Schiavone mayor
Middletown hospital removes major obstacle to Turtlecreek Twp. move
Transit authority at crossroads
City also loses top official
Competence for trial hearing waits
Dayton's police chief quits post
Ft. Campbell gets orders
High schools honor alumni in military
Hospital praised as employer