PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — Healthcare workers are in demand, but also in short supply. Ascension Sacred Heart Bay is holding its first in-person job fair since before the Covid-19 pandemic and they’re hiring for several different positions.
The last time Ascension hosted a job fair was in March 2020. They’ve had several job openings since then. Hospital administrators are hoping they can fill a number of those positions during next week’s job fair.
“It is just so nice to be able to turn that zoom off and to just stand shoulder to shoulder with people and shake hands and look them in the eye and just really get to know them as people,” Ascension Director of Surgical Services Carol Odriscoll said.
The job fair will be held on December 7th from 8:00 to 11:00 in the morning and from 3:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon. It takes place in the Walsingham Board Room at Ascension Sacred Heart. Representatives from the different departments will be available to answer questions and Human Resources will conduct interviews and could be making on-the-spot job offers.
“You know, we really, really need nurses and staff right now,” Ascension Vice President of Nursing B.J. Fontaine said. “It’s just a wonderful culture. So, we want to be able to share that with, you know, different nurses and clinical staff and the community and the students that are coming out of school.”
Recent nursing graduates have the opportunity to participate in Ascension’s Nurse Residency program. Current nurse intern Holly Johnston has been a hospital employee for seven years.
She started as a secretary and then move to patient care.
“They essentially do tuition reimbursement,” Johnston said. “And I started with my Pre-reqs and then got accepted into the nursing program.”
Johnston said her schedule is flexible. She works half shifts when she’s in class and she’s on track to graduate in December 2023.
Applicants should bring their resumes and there will be refreshments and giveaways.
