HSS Regional Hubs Will Focus on Mentoring, ICan Kickoff

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Laura Lutgens

Our spring Health Support Specialist (HSS) regional hubs that begin next week will deliver on a core foundation of apprenticeship: mentoring. 

Mentoring is key to the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. As HSS often serve as lead trainers and mentors in their organizations, education on mentorship is weaved throughout the seven college courses required by the program and work processes focused on mentoring are built into the registered apprenticeship upon complete of their coursework. 

Recognizing the need to further build on this education and training, we have recruited experts on mentoring throughout the state to join us at our spring regional hubs: 

Metro Hub

Tuesday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Augustana Regent of Burnsville, 14500 Regent Lane Burnsville

Mentorship Presenters: Allison Buersken, Program Director/QI Coordinator, and Jackie Barber, Assistant Director of Nursing, The Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids

Southeast Hub

Wednesday, April 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Services, 800 N Home Street, Rushford

Mentorship Presenters: Chris Schulz, Administrator, and Amber Jacobs, Staff Development, Thorne Crest Living Community in Albert Lea

Southwest Hub

Tuesday, April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fairway View Senior Communities, 217 Lundell Ave, Ortonville

Mentorship Presenters: Paula Viker, Administrator, and Jina Marlow, Human Resources Director, West Wind Village in Morris

Southcentral Hub

Wednesday, April 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oak Hills Living Center, 1314 8th St N, New Ulm

Mentorship Presenters: Carmen Broste, Director of Nursing, and Nicole Blekestad, Human Resources Director, at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm

Northwest Hub

Tuesday, May 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sanford Health Windsong, 010 Anne St NW, Bemidji

Mentorship Presenters: Jennifer Juntunen, Human Resources Manager, and Karen Kuntz, Staffing Coordinator at Grand Village in Grand Rapids

HSS are passionate on this topic and some have even been inspired to complete a mentor-focused quality improvement ICan project this year. Julie Apold, Vice President of Quality and Performance Excellence at LeadingAge Minnesota, will also join us at our regional hubs to discuss the role of the HSS in quality improvement. Initial work will be done to kick-off the ICan projects. 

Regional hubs are held in the spring and the summer as a networking and educational event for the HSS community. Anyone involved in HSS or interested in HSS are welcome to attend these no cost events.  

To RSVP or if you have any questions, contact me at llutgens@leadingagemn.org or 952.486.3879.