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Clinical ladder program
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The Clinical Ladder Program, available at the New Britain General campus, is a voluntary career advancement system for registered nurses who deliver direct patient care. Its purpose is to recognize and compensate nurses who practice in a clinical role of increased autonomy and responsibility and to provide promotional opportunities in clinical nursing.
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The theoretical basis for the program is Patricia Benner's seminal work: From Novice to Expert.
The Clinical Ladder Program at The Hospital of Central Connecticut consists of five Levels of professional practice. Each of the Levels reflects incremental stages of achievement in:
- professional development
- education/clinical practice
- leadership, community service
- customer service
Advancement to each Level is rewarded with a salary increase.
Level I - The Level I RN is the new graduate registered nurse, from entry to completion of one (1) year of practice.
Level II - The Level II RN defines the Level of professional performance which must be achieved and maintained by all registered nurses at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. Advancement to Level two is based on a satisfactory performance evaluation and completion of one (1) year of practice.
Level III - The Level III RN defines the performance Level achieved by an experienced nurse who utilizes advanced knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive patient care. This Level also requires the nurse to expand leadership responsibilities and to increase commitment to the professional development of herself/himself and less experienced staff. Level III is achieved via application for advancement through the Clinical Ladder Program.
Level IV - This nurse is a unit-based practitioner who has achieved a defined area of clinical expertise and has obtained professional certification or is Master's prepared in a clinical health related discipline. In addition to the RN Level III performance standards, this registered nurse assumes additional responsibilities which promote and evaluate quality patient care. The Level IV RN serves as a resource to others and coordinates multidisciplinary approaches to the nursing process on the patient care unit. Level IV is achieved via application for advancement through the Clinical Ladder Program.
Level V - Level V defines the Master's prepared and professionally certified, clinical expert at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. This Level requires the nurse to expand her/his role by assuming additional defined clinical, consultative, educational and research responsibilities within the nursing department.
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