Nurses are making a difference across the entire Torrance Memorial Health system. Comprising 28% of the hospital’s workforce—the largest percentage among all job classifications—nurses can be found at the bedside and beyond, including in outpatient clinics, operating rooms, specialized care settings and administrative offices.
Here’s a closer look at what it means to be a nurse at Torrance Memorial and the crucial role nurses play in providing patient-centered care.
Nursing Across the Network
With nearly 50 specialized roles across the Torrance Memorial system, nurses support patients in a range of care and hold advanced degrees—demonstrating their personal, educational and professional commitment to excellence in nursing.
“Our nurses are lifelong learners, and 85% hold a BSN degree or higher,” says Mary Wright, RN, MSN, CENP, senior vice president of patient services and chief nursing officer at Torrance Memorial. “We support a culture of continuous learning by creating educational pathways for our nurses—including partial tuition assistance for RNs with associate’s degrees who choose to pursue a BSN, or BSN-prepared nurses who choose to pursue a MSN or another type of advanced degree or certification.”
Where Our Nurses Work
Torrance Memorial’s highly educated and expertly trained nurses contribute to outstanding specialized care delivery in numerous settings across the system.
Inpatient/Hospital-Based Care
Inpatient nurses work inside the hospital to support patients during
their stay. Specialized roles include:
• Burn/Wound
• Cardiovascular
• Case Management &
Utilization Review
• Critical Care – ICU
• Emergency Services
• Labor & Delivery
• Medical Surgical
• Mother/Baby
• Neonatal ICU
• Neuro/Medical Surgical
• Oncology
• Pediatrics
• Progressive Care/Telemetry
• Transitional Care Unit – TCU
Outpatient/Community Support
Outpatient nurses care for patients who do not require hospital admission. Specialized roles include:
• Behavioral Health
• Cardiac Rehab & Diabetes
• Health Education/Community Outreach
• Home Health
• Hospice
• Short Stay & Infusion
Procedural Care
Procedural care nurses care for patients who need a medical procedure. Specialized roles include:
• Cardiac Cath Lab
• Cardiac Rehab & Diabetes
• Cardiothoracic Imaging
• Electrophysiology
• Endoscopy Center
• Interventional Radiology
• Kidney Dialysis
• Operating Room
• Peri-Anesthesia
• Radiology Diagnostics
Nursing Programmatic Specialist
Nursing programmatic specialists care for patients who need specialized treatment. Roles include:
• Bariatric
• Burn/Wound/Ostomy Care
• Eating Disorders
• ECMO
• Heart Failure
• Infection Prevention
• Orthopedics
• Palliative Care
• Stroke
• Structural Heart
• Quality & Accreditation
Nursing Leadership
Nurse leaders have advanced degrees and may specialize in:
• Administration
• Education
• Informatics
• Research
Advanced Practice
Advanced practice nurses provide patient care in a variety of settings.
Roles include:
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Nurse Practitioner
Advanced Nursing Degrees
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – A four-year undergraduate degree for RNs.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – An advanced degree for RNs preparing them for advanced practice and leadership roles.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Along with a PhD in nursing, DNP degrees represent the highest level of education for nurses, preparing them for executive leadership and advanced practice clinical roles.
Doctorate in Nursing (PhD) – Along with a DNP in nursing, a PhD in nursing prepares nurses for research, quality improvement and system leadership roles.
Pathways for Professional Growth
From new graduates to long-time nurses, Torrance Memorial supports nurses throughout their career journey. According to Shanna Hall, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, vice president of nursing at Torrance Memorial, nursing is constantly evolving—which means today’s nurses need to be committed to staying current on research-based best practices while staying motivated to learn and grow.
“It’s all connected to helping patients,” says Hall. “Research shows when nurses participate in professional development, they experience greater job satisfaction and patient outcomes improve.”
Partial Tuition Assistance for Professional Development
Torrance Memorial encourages nurses to pursue advanced BSN/MSN/DNP degrees, as well as professional certifications in specialty care areas. The hospital offers a partial tuition assistance program for nurses who choose to continue their education.
A Calling and a Career
For many nurses, caring for others in their most vulnerable moments is a calling they feel early in life.
“Nurses have a deep commitment to advocacy, service and high-quality patient care,” says Hall. “It’s more than just a job, because those who are called to the nursing profession want to add value to the patient care experience.”
In addition to improving patient outcomes and experiences, nurses guide patients and families through life’s most challenging circumstances—from birth to death and many milestones in between.
“We receive letters and hear stories from our patients about the profound impact our nurses have when carrying them through a crisis — and it all starts with a calling and a sense of purpose,” says Hall.
Draft Days
Draft Days are virtual events that allow experienced nurses to connect with nursing leaders from other units and departments—providing opportunities for nurses to make internal job changes and improving retention. Nurse leaders also offer in-house specialty training programs in oncology, perioperative care, critical care, NICU, maternal-child care and more. “We encourage internal movement and want our nurses to be able to pursue their goals and passions while remaining a part of the Torrance Memorial family,” says Maricarmen Luhrsen, DNP, RN, NE-BC, Magnet Program director at Torrance Memorial. “Our leaders work together to plan for internal transfers to other specialties by experienced RNs. This planning enables leaders to anticipate open positions that provide new graduate nurses an opportunity to join the Torrance Memorial team.”
Programs that support nursing career development include:
New Graduate RN Residency Program
In 2006 Torrance Memorial launched the New Graduate RN Residency Program—one of the first programs of its kind in southern Los Angeles County—to support nurses during their first six months of professional practice. The program holds an Accreditation with Distinction through the American Nurses Credentialing Center Practice Transition Accreditation Program—the highest recognition a transition program can receive that is held by select programs nationwide. Created by nurses for nurses, the program receives nearly 1,000 applications each year for 100 open spots, helping the hospital attract and retain the best nursing candidates.
Clinical Practice Pathway Program (CP3)
The CP3 program has helped more than 400 nurses develop their skills since its inception in 2017. As part of the program, eligible nurses enroll in the program offered three times per year and submit clinical narratives describing their practice—including clinical decision-making skills, patient advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration—that are evaluated during an interview by a panel of their peers. With the approval of the panel, nurses advance from novice to expert status following Benner’s model of clinical competence, an educational model describing the progression through five stages as nurses work to enhance their skills.
Stages include:
• Novice (Level 1 – New Graduate RN Residents) –No prior experience; relies on rules and guidelines.
• Advanced beginner (Level 2 – New Graduate RNs with less than two years of experience) – Some experience; can identify patterns and apply basic rules to situations.
• Competent (Level 3 – minimum of 2 to 3 years of nursing experience) – Can plan and prioritize some tasks with less flexibility and speed than expert nurses.
• Proficient (Level 4 – minimum of 3 years of nursing experience) – Able to analyze situations, make decisions, and adapt based on experience.
• Expert (Level 5 – 5 or more years of experience) – Deep understanding of complex clinical situations with advanced decision-making, assessment, and response capabilities.
Awards and Accolades
In addition to the prestigious Magnet designation, Torrance Memorial nurses have been recognized with additional awards, including:
• Baby Friendly Designation for maternal child health
• Beacon Designation from the American Academy of Critical-Care Nurses
• Cribs for Kids for safe sleep hospital
• Joint Commission for maternal levels of care verification
• Lantern Award for emergency department nursing
• Newsweek for America’s Best Maternity Hospital
• PRISM Award from the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
Magnet Designation: What it Means for Nursing Excellence
Since 2011, Torrance Memorial has been recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program for excellence in nursing care. With its fourth four-year designation in the pipeline, the hospital is proud of creating an environment where nurses can thrive.
“The Magnet certification process promotes positive change within the organization through nursing input and quality improvement,” says Dr. Maricarmen Luhrsen, director of the hospital’s Magnet Program. “Our nurses are fully engaged in improving patient safety and satisfaction.”
According to vice president of nursing Shanna Hall, the hospital’s Magnet designation attracts top-quality nurses. “Magnet has helped us create a quality working environment and a culture of respect for nurses, who are instrumental in driving decisions and initiatives throughout the hospital.”
“The Magnet program is about nurse empowerment, as well as recognizing the contributions of our nurses at the bedside,” says chief nursing officer Mary Wright. “Achieving Magnet designation signifies that nursing at Torrance Memorial is strong. Our nurses are agile, adaptable, have opportunities for professional growth and are focused on clinical excellence. And we know that when our nurses feel cared for, they will give 110% to patients.”
