For ICU nurses Afton and Stacy, Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington, is more than a workplace. It’s where they’ve built meaningful careers and found unwavering support while caring for the community they cherish.

Afton, a charge nurse in acute care, has been at Providence for over 11 years. A Walla Walla native, she started her career in outpatient care before entering the nurse residency program. Today, she’s working toward her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree, supported by Providence’s tuition reimbursement and the same leadership team that welcomed her over a decade ago.

Stacy is also a Walla Walla native and started at Providence after working at another local hospital. She is now earning her Nursing Practice degree and says Providence gave her a supportive environment and a professional home.

Here are five reasons they’ve stayed and why they recommend the ICU team to any nurse looking for a supportive place to grow.

1. Career growth is supported at every step

Both Afton and Stacy advanced their careers and education with help from Providence. Afton entered the residency program two years after earning her BSN and now uses tuition reimbursement to pursue her FNP at Gonzaga. “It took me 10 years to get here,” she says, “and my leaders all wrote me letters of recommendation to get into graduate school. I probably wouldn’t be doing it if it weren’t for their support.”

She’s also seen colleagues rise through the ranks: “I’ve seen other people working as a CNA, who then decided they wanted to do pre-reqs to go to nursing school. I’ve also seen people start off in one department, like housekeeping, and switch to nursing or even move into leadership roles.”

Stacy tells a similar story. “They’ve supported me through my DNP—financially and with scheduling. It’s a win-win.”

2. A culture of mentorship and belonging

The ICU can be challenging, especially when you’re starting out, but Afton and Stacy say they felt supported from the beginning.

“The residency program is designed to create a feeling of being adequately prepared to do your job and being supported,” Afton said. “The woman who was my preceptor back when I was a resident, I still consider her a mentor and a friend.”

Stacy agrees. “Even at the beginning, I felt very at ease. My manager was supportive and made me feel like I was in a good place.”

Both nurses experienced mentorship early on and now pay it forward by fostering a supportive environment for others.

3. You’re never in it alone

ICU work is intense, but when your team has your back, it changes everything. “We got each other even more through the pandemic,” Afton recalls. “It was frightening and nobody knew what was happening, but my coworkers made it bearable. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Stacy puts it this way: “We hug each other all the time. We cry together. We problem-solve together. Honestly, I’m here because of my coworkers.”

4. Leadership shows up for your goals and your life

Both nurses emphasized how much their leaders genuinely care, not just about performance, but about their people.

“When I had spine surgery,” Afton says, “my leaders brought me dinner. That’s not required for a good manager, but it tells you a lot. They are people who care about their employees.”

She adds, “They care about supporting our growth, even if it means growing up and out of the unit that you work in.”

5. Mental health and well-being are a real priority

Providence’s benefit offerings help ease real-life stress for caregivers in demanding roles.

For example, Stacy has relied on backup family support, which provides access to care for your children, teens, adult and elder family members during a lapse or breakdown in normal care arrangements. And Afton uses Providence’s health reimbursement program to help cover her daughter’s medical expenses. “I have a child with a chronic health condition, and it’s really nice to use that for her doctor’s visits and medication,” she says.

“We probably don’t even realize how many benefits we have,” Stacy says. “But when you need them, they’re there.”

What keeps them here? A mission that feels personal.

Stacy says, “Providence is a place where I feel safe and I’ve learned a lot. It’s helped me through my profession. I’m not saying every day is easy but we make it work and that’s rewarding.”

Afton concurs, “These are my people, and I want to care for them here. Providence is a place where people really try to live the Mission: Know me, care for me, ease my way.”

If you’re ready to grow in your career without sacrificing your well-being, Providence offers the kind of ICU environment that makes it possible. Just ask Stacy and Afton. Their stories remind us that the right workplace not only supports your career but your whole journey. Explore ICU nursing opportunities with us.