A nurse for nurses: Essentia’s nurse retentionists bring care, attention to colleagues

Fresh out of nursing school, Paige Crompton started in the intermediate care unit at Essentia Health, and it was a bit of a rude awakening.

"I was constantly overwhelmed and anxious as a new graduate in such a high-acuity unit," she said. "This is where Kelli came to my rescue."

Kelli Dietrich and Jane Vortherms are Essentia’s nurse retentionists, a role that was new to Crompton. Months after her introduction, she can attest the position is “essential to the success of all nurses.”

Nurse retentionists use evidence-informed, innovative strategies to retain a multigenerational workforce according to professional development goals. Retentionists focus on individual meetings, intentional relationship-building and focused recognition efforts.

“Our job really is to be a nurse for nurses, so they can take care of our patients,” said Dietrich.

The perfect fit

Crompton wanted to stay at Essentia on a new unit, so Dietrich scouted opportunities, like job shadowing, and helped Crompton meet individualized goals. 

“As a new nurse, it’s easy to let challenges consume you whole. Kelli was able to help me navigate them gracefully. I learned it’s OK to speak up for yourself, and that there is a nursing role out there for you,” she said. 

Crompton is now an RN in family medicine, and it’s a perfect fit for her. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I was provided ample resources to aid me in my transition and was so thankful for the grace and patience Essentia showed me.

“Essentia makes its employees’ health and well-being a priority.”

Along with supporting new nurses, retentionists also reduce the burden on front-line nursing leaders.

Among them is Shawna Reed, who, in January, started as operations director at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Brainerd Clinic. After inviting Vortherms to work with her and her unit, Reed said, “I love working with Jane; she individually connects with leaders to better understand their employee pulse survey results, and she offers suggestions to improve employee engagement in the future.

“Jane has a positive way of explaining information. I feel supported by our nurse retentionist,” Reed continued.

Approximately 80% of nurses leave in the first three years, said Vortherms. However, at Essentia the nursing turnover rate is lower than the national average. The 2024 NSI National Benchmark for first-year turnover is 27.7% and RN turnover is 18.4%. Essentia’s 2024 data shows first-year turnover at 18.3% and RN turnover at 12.6%. Dietrich said that’s not directly correlated to the retentionist; it’s due to several individuals and factors including transition coaches, a nurse residency program and a work culture promoting innovation, teamwork, quality and respect.

Since the introduction of nurse retentionists at Essentia Health in November 2022, overall RN turnover rates at Essentia have been more than cut in half. 

“The role of the nurse retentionist is vital to the success of all nurses, not just new grads,” said Crompton. “When in doubt, reach out. These people are on your team.”

Let’s talk

Retention conversations vary from run-of-the-mill career advice to next steps for forward trajectory. One thing they don’t discuss is compensation. Belonging and a sense of ownership are key drivers to retention. 

“When we only focus on compensation, we miss addressing the core issues,” said Vortherms.

Essentia’s nurse retentionists focus on creating a safe space for connection, collaboration, communication and celebration. They’re intentional in leading with kindness and openness and, in difficult conversations, they remain neutral, curious and assume positive intent.  

Outcomes can look like culture coaching, transformational leadership development, mentorship, a retention action plan and, in some cases, offering a new perspective. Dietrich and Vortherms said they’re not there to fix; they’re there to partner in thought and accountability.  

If colleagues want to make changes due to unit culture, for instance, the discussion shifts to goals, an ideal area and intervention options. A healthy work environment is critical to retention and patient outcomes. 

“If you don’t have an environment supportive of each other as caring colleagues, how can you provide exceptional care to the patients we are privileged to serve?” Vortherms said.

Origin story

By design, the colleagues leading retention efforts carry a wealth of industry experience. 

From acute care to ambulatory care, Vortherms is a lifelong oncology nurse who has held roles in education, leadership and research, along with earning her master’s degree. Dietrich started her career at the age of 16 as a CNA in long-term care. Through her tenure, she has cared for individuals across the lifespan in ambulatory nursing, inpatient medical-surgical, hospice care and nursing leadership. Both are experienced in project management, including launching patient-directed programs, professional governance models and evidence-based practice.   

In 2022, Vortherms and Dietrich participated in a special workgroup aimed at elevating the nursing workforce. 

At that time, Vortherms discovered an article about nurse retentionists, which she shared with Essentia Health Chief Nurse Executive Rhonda Kazik. This innovative pivot speaks to the intentionality of Kazik. 

“The industry had a recruitment problem, and what came out was we need to retain what we have. These roles were a key to uplifting retention solutions,” Dietrich said.