| Even 15 years ago, colleagues referred to | | | | nurses you send are different they hit the |
| Martha "Marty" Minniti, BS, RN, CEO at | | | | ground running," Minniti reported. |
| Skilled Nursing Inc. (SNI), Flourtown, PA, as | | | | |
| a "visionary in nursing." Minniti, has been | | | | One Step Ahead |
| described as having a keen business sense, | | | | |
| the courage to take risks with the commitment | | | | Operating SNI successfully for 26 years |
| to empower nursing. | | | | continues to challenge the CEO to provide |
| | | | hospitals with nurses who can adapt to |
| She models her innovative thinking skills for | | | | healthcare changes. To do this, she has |
| other nurses. For example, in the early | | | | partnered with a number of associations and |
| 1990s, home care nurses employed by SNI were | | | | organizations. |
| skilled in computerized patient | | | | |
| documentation, long before this technology | | | | She has been a long-standing member of the |
| was implemented in acute care. Today, with 26 | | | | Delaware Valley Healthcare Council of the |
| years experience as an entrepreneur, taking | | | | Hospital and Health System of Pennsylvania. |
| the good with the bad, Minniti keeps pace | | | | In recent years she has been a member of the |
| with changing times. | | | | Life Sciences Career Alliance, formed by the |
| | | | Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Workforce |
| Innovative Model | | | | Investment Board Collaborative. |
| | | | |
| Minniti's entrepreneurial talent surfaced in | | | | SNI is one of only a few staffing agencies |
| 1980 during a nurse shortage; something | | | | involved in the Partnership for Patient Care, |
| hospitals and administrators hadn't had to | | | | a Delaware Valley collaborative to improve |
| deal with before. There was no precedent on | | | | safety through risk analysis and |
| how to meet minimal staffing needs. What | | | | evidence-based practice. |
| emerged out of this crisis was a new venture | | | | |
| - temporary nurse staffing agencies. | | | | In 2005 and 2006, SNI was awarded |
| Unfortunately, many hospitals weren't happy | | | | certification by the Joint Commission, one of |
| with the quality of nurses some agencies | | | | only 20 healthcare staffing services to |
| provided. | | | | achieve this. |
| | | | |
| Minniti, then a 28-year-old critical care | | | | Always the Risk Taker |
| nurse, knew she could offer a better product | | | | |
| to hospitals in need. She saw a win-win | | | | Since 1980, Minniti created seven companies - |
| solution for patients, nurses and hospital | | | | staffing, consulting/management company, |
| administrators. From her home, she pioneered | | | | pediatric private duty and home care, home |
| SNI, a small business employing nurses as | | | | infusion, home care network and a holistic |
| independent contractors to healthcare | | | | healthcare center. |
| facilities. | | | | |
| | | | Minniti quickly discovered entrepreneurs have |
| "SNI's main goal has always been to provide | | | | to take risks and not all ventures are |
| opportunities and choices for nursing," | | | | successful. "Two of my businesses were not |
| explained Minniti. "This includes practicing | | | | successful - the holistic healthcare center |
| independently, a choice physicians and other | | | | was 20 years ahead of its time and the adult |
| professionals have always had. We set out to | | | | home care business was needed but the lack of |
| help hospitals by providing the best nurses. | | | | reimbursement at the time made it hard to get |
| Our goal has always been to be 'the special | | | | paid," she admitted. |
| forces of nursing,' i.e., recruit nurses with | | | | |
| a high degree of confidence, competence and | | | | But this nurse wasn't about to give up. A |
| professionalism." | | | | long time ago she learned from a professor at |
| | | | the Wharton Business School of the University |
| Nurse & Hospital Benefits | | | | of Pennsylvania, Phildelphia, the keys to |
| | | | successful entrepreneurship were "not brains |
| From the beginning, Minniti wanted her | | | | or good ideas, but drive and persistence. |
| independent contractor model for nurses to | | | | It's what keeps you going once you see the |
| increase their financial control, provide | | | | benefits for your clients, staff and the |
| pre-tax benefits and retirement plans | | | | profession. Then it all makes sense. You have |
| independent of an employer. What she didn't | | | | to like problem solving and fighting |
| factor into the nurse benefits initially is | | | | upstream." |
| how skilled the nurses would become from | | | | |
| working in multiple settings, such as | | | | On Balance |
| hospitals and school systems. | | | | |
| | | | Minniti's prescription to maintain balance in |
| Minniti explained SNI guarantees its clients | | | | her life includes quiet time in a chapel for |
| that its nurses are not just experienced | | | | 15-20 minutes each day saying her novenas |
| nurses, but nurses who practice by standards | | | | coupled with physical exercise and reading. |
| and protocols and can adapt these standards | | | | |
| to any hospital that functions at a high | | | | The message this successful nurse |
| level. For example, as part of the interview | | | | entrepreneur wants to pass on to other nurses |
| process for all SNI candidates, the | | | | who might want to follow her career path is |
| entrepreneur conducted behavioral interviews | | | | to believe in nursing. "The common |
| to assess their competencies. | | | | denominator in all the companies I started is |
| | | | nursing. We have a unique and valued place in |
| "I realized our nurses stood out when | | | | our communities and the ability to use our |
| hospital managers would say things like the | | | | intellect and skills constructively. |