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MercyOne helps nursing students jump start their career through new program

MercyOne is helping nursing students jump-start their careers through a new program aimed at strengthening Iowa’s nursing pipeline. MercyOne’s JumpStart provides financial support while nursing students finish school and a job after graduation.

“If students are worried about bills or the cost of textbooks, this program helps by giving breathing room,” says Bela Haferman, who works as a registered nurse (RN) on an acute floor at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center and participated in Jumpstart. “You’re also being acknowledged even before you’re a nurse. You can use that to motivate yourself when you’ve had a tough day – MercyOne has your back.”

Students accepted into the program receive a monthly stipend during their final semester at school, and MercyOne also covers the cost of the Board of Nursing exam and licensure fees, says Kris Marmie, a senior recruiter at MercyOne Northeast Iowa. Once graduates become licensed RN, MercyOne provides employment at one of its medical centers.

Haferman grew up in Tanzania before moving to Iowa to attend Wartburg College. He worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for many years before going back to school at Hawkeye Community College to become an RN. He started working for MercyOne in February 2022.

“There are so many reasons why I love nursing,” he says. “But I love being able to help a patient understand what’s going on with their health. A lot of times, we see patients who come back over and over with the same health issues. One of our biggest roles in health care is to educate them so patients can make better choices and live their best lives.”

This program is brought in part by the MercyOne Foundations in Cedar Falls, Oelwein, and Waterloo.