Nurses Week 2024: Training Fund Benefits for RNs

by kayla | Apr 26, 2024 | News | 0 comments

Happy National Nurses Week!

National Nurses Week, May 6th-12th, honors nurses and celebrates their incredible contributions to the healthcare industry and patient care. We are thankful to have worked with and supported many nurses in their healthcare journey. Your dedication inspires us, and we are so proud of you. Thank you nurses!

Join us at Nurses Week events – at your employer site or online – to learn more about our services and programs for RN members.

Nurses Week Events

UW Medicine Valley Medical Nurses Week Education and Resources Fair

Tuesday May 7th 7:00am-3:30pm

Trendz Cafeteria, 3rd floor

Providence Swedish Nurses Week Celebration

Wednesday May 8th, 11:30am-3:00pm

First Hill, Glaser Foyer

Kaiser Permanente Nurses Week

Thursday May 9th, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Virtual RN Training Fund benefits presentation

Kaiser Permanente Registration

“Going back to school for a Master’s program after 30 years, in a different learning environment, with a full-time O.R. nurse job, and the pandemic is not easy, but not impossible to do. I was amazed by the tremendous support I had from the Training Fund and WGU mentors. Now I can say I will never regret taking the high road in meeting my personal and professional development. The next step for me is to plan on giving back.”

Marina "Rina" Sotero-Galban

RN, Highline Medical Center

Benefits for Training Fund RN Members

The Training Fund offers many supportive services, education opportunities, and benefits for Training Fund RN members.

Tuition Assistance

We are proud to offer our members the opportunity to apply for Tuition Assistance (TA), which can cover school-related costs like tuition, books, and other fees for approved programs. After 1 year of service with their employer, RN members can apply for up to $5,250/year in Tuition Assistance.

You can also access a variety of educational support services to help you succeed, including tutoring and career counseling.

Approved Nursing Programs for TA

These nursing programs are on our list of approved programs that qualify for Tuition Assistance. Learn More.

List of approved nursing programs

Professional Development

RN members have access to up to $300/year in Professional Development reimbursement for:

Continuing Education Unit (CEU) conference registration, courses, and required materials
Professional Memberships
Specialty Nurse Certification Exams and re-certification fees

You also have free access to unlimited CEU courses through HealthStream for continuing nursing education courses and nursing certification review.

Additional Funding

RN members have access to additional Scholarship tuition funding (up to $3,000) and an additional $200 in Professional Development funding. This funding is available for a limited time on a first-come-first-serve basis. To be eligible for additional funding, RNs must:

be active Training Fund members
have been at their employer for 1 year
have already used their available funding

RN to BSN Program

The Training Fund partners with Bellevue College to offer an RN to BSN program to Training Fund members at little to no cost.

Nationally accredited and state recognized
Full-time or part-time options with low-residency
Designed for working nurses, flexible hybrid model

This is a great option for nurses looking to purse leadership and management roles! It also opens doors as a Liaison Nurse, Visiting Nurse, and more.

Total Program Cost (Tuition, application fees, books, etc.): $10,500

Total cost for RN Training Fund Members: FREE

*some fees not covered

Interested in becoming an RN? Learn more about our Hospital Employee Education Training worker friendly programs for becoming an RN.

Pro/Tech Conference Travel Funding Award Deadline March 1

by kayla | Feb 13, 2024 | News | 0 comments

The Pro/Tech Conference Travel Funding Award application deadline is right around the corner!

Did you know that we provide our Professional and Technical members with up to $1,500 per year (in reimbursements) to attend local and national conferences?*

Apply before March 1 for any conferences that you plan to attend April-June 2024.

Professional and Technical workers also have professional development money available to them.

Learn About Your PD Benefits

These benefits enable you to attend conferences, advance your career, and minimize personal out-of-pocket costs.

Here’s how it works:

Pro/Tech Conference funding can cover the cost of travel (hotel, transportation expenses, etc.) and registration fees.
Pro/Tech Professional Development benefits can cover the cost of attending a conference, e.g., registration fees.
Both benefits require members to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

The deadline to apply for a Pro/Tech Conference Travel Funding Award is March 1.**

*Applications must be submitted before the conference.

**For conferences in April-June 2024.

Learn More about Conference Funding

Apply Today!

Welcome to the Training Fund, Kaiser Permanente of Washington SWEA, OT, and PT members

by kayla | Feb 9, 2024 | News | 0 comments

Welcome to our new members at Kaiser Permanente of Washington! We are thrilled to have Social Workers Employee Association, Physical Therapists, and Occupational Therapists join the Training Fund. You will be eligible for our programs and services beginning January 01, 2024.

We offer education and career advancement programs so that you can develop your skills, advance your career, and improve your professional opportunities. After you have been employed by Kaiser Permanente for 90 days you have access to:

GET STARTED: fill out our online member application.

Submit a Member Application form!

Professional Development Support

You belong to the Professional/Technical bargaining unit.

Reimbursement up to $300/yr:

CEUs/Courses
Specialty Certifications: National Certifications exams or courses/review materials that prepare members for those exams.
Professional Memberships: Membership in professional organizations that provide access to CEUs as a benefit of membership

FREE access to unlimited CEU courses through HealthStream

Please contact your Training Fund navigator to learn more.

Contact Your Navigator

Professional/Technical Conference Funding

As members of the Professional/Technical bargaining unit, you have an additional professional development benefit. Attend a conference relevant to your field! You can apply for up to $1,500 per year to attend professional conferences. Funding can cover costs for conference registration, travel, and hotel. Pre-approval is required and funding is awarded quarterly.

Learn More & Apply

Tuition Assistance

Members who have already worked at Kaiser Permanente for more than one year may also qualify for Tuition Assistance now!

Tuition Assistance covers tuition, fees, and book costs for a wide variety of healthcare education programs at regional colleges and universities.

We encourage you to contact your Navigator and start working on your education plan.

If you are currently in school and have already been receiving Tuition Reimbursement from your previous Education Fund, you may be able to add Tuition Assistance from the Training Fund.

To begin the Tuition Assistance process, submit a Member Application form at the link below.

Submit a Member Application form!

Review your Plan of Benefits!

“Many of us working in Mental Health already have massive student loans from grad school. Not having the means to take the additional specialty training that we are passionate about limits our ability to serve patient populations who really need us, and also limits the longevity of our careers. When our only option for advancing our education or skill set is a reimbursement, it creates inequities and barriers to those of us who don’t have the resources to front the money. And those who historically have enough access, support, and resources for advanced study don’t always represent the demographics of our patients’ population. Having a therapist with a shared identity and shared life experiences brings so much value to the care we’re able to provide to our patients.

It’s never been more clear, post-pandemic, that we need to prioritize mental healthcare but we don’t have enough providers to meet the community need. That’s why we fought really hard to show Kaiser the values of investing in us and investing in mental healthcare. I’m so proud that our employer stepped up and agreed to do this work with us.

The Training Fund allows us to invest in our careers and better serve our patients, without having to pull from our personal food, housing, or other budgets. Especially for BIPOC folks, the Training Fund opens doors and gives many of us access. I hope that this will extend beyond just Kaiser and our own careers, and also help change the face of mental healthcare.”

Alanna Martin

Social Worker, Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center

“During our recent contract bargaining, we fought for and won many victories. One that I was personally excited about was the inclusion of PT/OT into the SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Training Fund. Access to the Training Fund can help pay for conferences (travel, hotel, etc.), APTA/AOTA memberships, certifications, and study materials.

In some cases, it allows for us to apply for money up front, as opposed to having to wait several weeks for reimbursement. This is a great win for so many of us who are cash strapped, paying off student loans, and living in this wonderful but oh-so-expensive region.“

John Maisano-Torres

Physical Therapist, Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill/Federal Way

We look forward to serving you as you pursue your education and career goals.

If you have questions or need help applying, please don’t hesitate to call our office (425-255-0315) or email us.

FREE Practical Application to Comprehensive Treatment of Pain Training

by kayla | Feb 7, 2024 | News | 0 comments

Our friend, Southwest WA Area Health Education Center (AHEC), is offering a FREE 3-hour Practical Application to Comprehensive Treatment of Pain training on the “safe integration of opioids into personalized pain management.”

FREE

Available to: ANY licensed/certified health sciences provider in Washington state

All completers will receive a certificate of completion from PriMed.

Where: Virtual

When: Asynchronous through October 31st, 2024

Grant period ends September 30th, 2024.

Learn More & Register

The Practical Approaches to Comprehensive Treatment of Pain program empowers you with the skills to effectively diagnose and treat pain holistically, highlighting both opioid and nonopioid options. You’ll master the safe integration of opioids into personalized pain management, mitigate risks, and identify signs of opioid dependence. Gain the expertise to optimally manage your patients’ pain and medication use to make a positive impact on public health.

Questions? Contact:

Pat Lange, Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Manager

Office: 360-786-9722 ext. 209

Cell: (253) 223-5997

Join Kaiser Permanente’s 2024 Virtual Workforce Development Week

by kayla | Jan 18, 2024 | News | 0 comments

Kaiser Permanente employees are invited to join the third Workforce Development Week, February 6 to 8. At this virtual event, you’ll hear from colleagues and leaders across Kaiser Permanente with tips for building skills and developing your career. Health care is changing rapidly. The best way to prepare is to keep learning and build resilience. Sign up for Workforce Development Week to access the content.

Most sessions will be prerecorded and less than 15 minutes. View the sessions that interest you at any time, as your schedule allows, even after the week is over.

Sign up now. You need to register to access the content.

Sign Up

Workforce Development Week will focus on steps you can take today to:

Access education and training resources to enhance your professional skills
Explore career paths
Use tuition reimbursement and education trusts
Engage with mentors, counselors and coaches
Prepare for tomorrow’s jobs

Event highlights include:

Mentoring and Workplace Culture: A panel discussion February 6, from noon to 1 p.m. Pacific time, on how mentoring can help build a supportive workplace culture. Speakers: Patricia Pittman, George Washington University health workforce equity professor, and Laura Long and Ije-Enu Nwosu, Kaiser Permanente senior leaders.
EPIC (Education Partnerships Inspiring Change) Awards: These new awards honor the top workforce development efforts in the Labor Management Partnership. You decide People’s Choice for your favorite training program.
Workle: Play our version of Wordle, with a new challenge word each day.

Workforce Development Week is hosted by National Workforce Planning and Development. It’s sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, the Alliance of Health Care Unions, and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions.

The Training Fund Awarded $2 million as Career Connect Washington’s Healthcare Sector Leader

by kayla | Dec 12, 2023 | News | 0 comments

Washington Jobs Initiative Sectoral Partnership Awards Training Fund $2M

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), Employment Security Department, and Career Connect Washington (CCW) recently awarded the Training Fund $2M through the Washington Jobs Initiative Sectoral Partnerships. This funding will play a valuable role in supporting our entry-level healthcare pathway programs and partnerships.

In total, approximately $17M was awarded across eight sectoral partnerships and five key industries to help train and place 3,000 Washingtonians into good, family-sustaining, jobs. As Career Connect Washington’s Healthcare Sector Leader, the Training Fund is proud to continue facilitating cross-sector collaboration, pursuing workforce development opportunities, and promoting healthcare education and career pathways.

Maud Daudon, executive leader of CCW said, “The work of these sectoral partnerships will greatly enhance Career Connect Washington’s progress on providing new pathways to careers, especially for those farthest from opportunity.”

Read WSAC’s Media Release

Learn more about CCW and our work.