SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, a time when Regional West Medical Center salutes the 600 nurses it employs. This year on May 8, Regional West nursing leadership will host an event from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in honor of National Nurses Week. The event will be held in the upper and lower lobbies of Regional West Medical Center’s main entrance. For more information please call (308) 630-1036.

This fun and educational experience is open to everyone. Representatives from Western Nebraska Community College, the University of Nebraska Medical Center nursing programs and the Nebraska Nurses Association will be present to talk about careers in nursing. Outside vendors will include Scottsbluff Plastic Surgery, Uniforms TLC, Medical Equipment Supply (MES), Copperfield Books, Manhattan Shoe Company, Becky’s Day Spa to name a few.  The event will also feature learning opportunities about the hospital’s journey to Magnet status.

In 2007, the hospital began a journey towards Magnet status. According to The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Magnet Recognition Program provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of care they can expect to receive based on nursing care and experience. A Magnet designation helps medical facilities attract and maintain nurses and creates a positive healthcare environment.

“Regional West is currently in the process of charting the course for our Magnet journey,” said, Joann Arends RN, Regional West Magnet coordinator. “We are proud to be what is accepted nationally as the gold standard in nursing excellence. It is just one of the ways that we can honor our nursing staff and their contribution to quality patient care. Achieving magnet status can take anywhere from three to five years.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,400 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, Regional West offers care that spans more than 40 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is one of only three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.