Clinical Career Ladder

Philosophy

The Presbyterian Career Ladder program is designed to reward RNs for academic achievement and participating in activities that relate directly to improving patient care quality or enhancing clinical outcomes.

Program Summary

The Clinical Career Ladder Program recognizes and rewards bedside RNs who excel as professional clinicians, mentors and leaders in their profession.

The expectation of RNs participating in the clinical ladder is that they are credentialed, have strong clinical skills, participate in upgrading nursing practice, are mentors and teachers, and last but not least, provide patient care with compassion and a focus on customer service.

The Program provides an hourly differential based on attainment of points via qualifying criteria.

Participation

1. Eligibility is limited to the nonexempt RNs who perform direct patient acute care in the Albuquerque Delivery System.
2. Participants must be employed at the time of submission and acceptance into the Program.
3. Participants must meet the standard criteria in order to submit an application.

Registered Nurse at 0.5 pointage position or higher or has worked a minimum of 1000 hours in the last twelve months. New Hires must meet criteria during their orientation period.

• They are in good standing.
• All required unit competencies completed by due dates.
• All mandatory education required by unit of hire (safety, infection control, BLS etc.) completed by due dates.
• Adherence to Standards Based Practice with compliance of at least 95% for required nursing documentation.
• Attends Unit Staff Meetings (a minimum of 80% attendance per year). 
• Models CARES behaviors

Compensation

Participants will be eligible to earn a differential according to the following schedule:

How do I earn Points?

• Finishing your degree (BSN, MSN, PhD)
• Becoming nationally certified
• Teaching, Mentoring, Training Others
• Participating on Nursing Shared Governance Councils
• Participating in a Quality Improvement Project
• Performing research, writing articles or preparing a poster presentation
• And many more professionally based activities

RN Clinical Ladder Process

1. Participants submit an application for the Program once the minimal points for the application level have been achieved and documented. 
2. Participants may submit an application at any time within the Program Year.
3. The Nursing Career Ladder Committee reviews applications on a monthly basis. Participants will be notified by a letter regarding inclusion into the Program.
4. Participants will receive the appropriate compensation for the appropriate level for a maximum of one calendar year.
5. Participants reapply for the Program annually to remain in the Program.
6. Participants may increase levels within the Program within the same Program Year by submitting a new application once the minimal points for the application level has been achieved and documented.