Hospital’s career ladder program for nursing support staff reduces turnover

New York University Langone Health launched a career ladder program to provide nurse support staff with standardized advancement opportunities aimed at reducing turnover. The three-tiered system lays out the compensation, skills and responsibilities required at each level. Support staff fulfilling the nurse attendant role observe patients at risk for falls or hurting themselves. Those graduating to the second tier can provide more hands-on care, while the third tier permits support staff to serve as patient care technicians and draw blood. Support staff graduating to the patient-care technician level earn a $2,000 bonus. Approximately 60% of patient-care technicians received certification compared with 8% before the program began, and first-time pass rates increased. Turnover fell from 14.5% to roughly 8% in eight months. (HealthLeaders Media article, 8/3/26).