Health First Building Team for New Rockledge Freestanding ER, Gwen Black Will Serve as Nurse Manager
Emergency department nurse manager Gwen Black says facility offers rare opportunity to build culture and care team of 80 from the ground up.
As Brevard’s first freestanding Emergency Room (ER) continues to come together, something else is brewing behind the scenes. A chance to build a culture that is intentional. That’s what Gwen Black, who will serve as the Nurse Manager at Health First Rockledge ER, foresees.
“This is a rare opportunity,” Black said. “We’re not simply joining an existing team culture. We’re creating it together. From the way we work to the relationships we build, we’ll have the opportunity to shape something special from the very beginning.”
Black would know. She was on the original Emergency Room team when Viera Hospital opened in 2011 and now serves as the Assistant Nurse Manager there. Until the Health First ER is about ready to roll.
With several dozen associates and providers needed to staff the freestanding ER, Health First is already building the team, with a variety of roles available.
One of the corridors at the future Health First ER, as seen taking shape in August.
Black herself knew she wanted the role as soon as she heard about it. Being able to help build a team from scratch, growing as a leader and becoming a part of something brand new for Brevard were all pulls.
Especially the chance to shape culture intentionally.
“What’s important to me is that my team feels valued,” Black said. “I’ve always learned that when your staff feels valued, it trickles into their patient care. So, for me, I want every person to know that they’re important, that they are respected. I want to earn their trust so they can come to me with any issue. When trusts exists, it strengthens the entire team.”
Freestanding ERs 101
But what exactly is a freestanding ER? And what people are needed to deliver that care?
Freestanding emergency rooms, also known as “standalone ERs,” provide the same level of emergency care as a hospital-based ER. It’s just located outside of a traditional hospital campus. According to The Emergency Medicine Network, there are between 800 and 900 Freestanding Emergency Rooms (FSERs) in the U.S.; more than 100 of those are in Florida. This will be the first for Brevard.
Health First Rockledge ER, on the corner of Fiske and Roy Wall boulevards, is slated to open mid-December.
The 13,500-square-foot freestanding ER will be just south of the Health First Business Center, at 3340 S. Fiske Blvd – very close to the Rockledge I-95 Fiske Boulevard exit.
This facility will add 12 additional emergency beds to the community, providing another emergency care option for Rockledge, Viera and surrounding communities.
What can patients expect? Access and efficiency:
- Typically, shorter wait times than traditional hospital ERs
- Emergency capabilities, including imaging and lab services
- Seamless coordination with hospitals if admission is required
Freestanding ERs are connected to an established healthcare network. Bottom line? If you need hospital admission or specialized care, the ER care team’s there to stabilize you and get you transferred to the hospital that can best treat you, depending on your needs.
“We don’t want people to travel a long distance to get to emergency services,” said Mike Mullowney, President, Health First’s Hospital Division.
The ER team needed
Building the freestanding ER means cultivating an entire workforce from the ground up.
“Ultimately, we’ll have about 80 people serving the community through the Freestanding ER in Rockledge,” said Jeff Jurinak, Health First’s Vice President of HR workforce solutions. “And don’t just think emergency physicians and nurses. To round out the team, we’ll be hiring paramedics, respiratory therapists, lab professionals and more.”
Patients who come to the Health First’s new ER in Rockledge will get hospital-level care – and will be transferred to the best hospital for their care, should their case be more complex.
In addition, other roles currently being promoted include medical technologists, CT technologists, sonographers, registration staff, Security and facility support teams.
More than 100 people have already expressed interest in joining the team, with hiring expected to include both internal transfers and new talent entering the organization, Jurinak said. More than 35 people have already accepted positions, which will take effect sometime in November, before the anticipated opening mid-December. About 60% of the hires so far are internal, the rest coming from other career journeys.
Why the freestanding ER?
Given the variety of healthcare jobs available throughout the county, why should someone want to work at the new ER?
“In this unique environment, we’re looking for people who are passionate about emergency medicine, committed to providing excellent patient care and excited to grow alongside a new team,” Black said. “Someone who’s passionate about emergency medicine and wants to grow professionally – this is kind of the place where you want to be.”
Kesha Cummings, Vice President, Hospital Division Emergency and Trauma Services, Patient Logistics, said that the chance to be a part of something new in Brevard is a remarkable opportunity.
“That family atmosphere, which typically grows in a smaller environment, is a big draw for people who like to work in that type of setting,” Cummings said. “And the ER team will be ready for whatever medical emergencies that simply cannot wait. It will be a team where each associate will know just how important they are.”
Black concurred.
“I envision a team that’s proud to come to work, a team that loves their job,” Black explained, “and a team that feels valued every day.”
Learn more at hf.org/freestandingER. Interested in being a part of this new venture in Brevard? Apply at hf.org/careers.