Dignity Health Central Coast Nurses Celebrate 3 Milestones in Nursing at a Special Celebration

SANTA MARIA, CA – November 3, 2023 – Dignity Health Central Coast, which includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC) and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC) held a special ceremony that honored graduates of the RN Residency and RN Fellowship programs. It also commemorated the 10-year anniversary of those programs. In addition, the RN Residency and RN Fellowship programs just received accreditation.

More than a 100 nurses, hospital leaders, educators, and physicians gathered from all 3 hospitals (MRMC, AGCH and FHMC) to celebrate these 3 impressive milestones at a luncheon ceremony. The event was held at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria with food, a special cake, speeches, photos and some games. 

“It is an honor to be recognizing the impact of 10 years of the nursing residency program at Marian Regional Medical Center and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital! The nursing residency program provides an enriching environment for our new nurses to begin their nursing journey and for partnerships and friendships to grow and flourish between nurses throughout the organization. We celebrate and recognize more than 900 nurses that have successfully completed our Residency program and look forward to the future nurses that will continue this legacy,” says Candice Monge, RN, Chief Nursing Executive at Marian Regional Medical Center and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital.  

The residency and fellowship programs known as SOAR (Standardized Orientation & Academic Residency) was launched in 2013 at our 3 hospitals and so receiving  the Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) from the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) ensures that everyone in these programs are held to the highest standards. 

“This program is vital to safely prepare our talented new graduate nurses to transition to our workforce. They are a vital part of our patient care, and our community benefits in our dedication and investment in their future. We are so fortunate to have this program, and the support of hospital leaders, and CommonSpirit Health leadership to make it so successful,” says Julia Fogelson, MSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive at French Hospital Medical Center.

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Dignity Health Central Coast

Dignity Health Central Coast is comprised of three hospitals, all recognized for their quality of care, safety and service, primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services and comprehensive home health services. Hospitals in the Dignity Health Central Coast Market include Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, and  Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria. It also includes Pacific Central Coast Health Centers which is a network of nearly 50 physicians clinics spanning from Templeton to Ventura and also Bakersfield.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to provide additional funding to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care. For more information, visit: www.dignityhealth.org/centralcoast.