William Newton Hospital Honored with Kansas Hospital Association's Workforce Strategies Award

Oct 12, 2026

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William Newton Hospital has been named the recipient of the 2026 Excellence in Workforce Strategies Award by the Kansas Hospital Association. The award, presented at the Kansas Hospital Association Awards Ceremony on September 11, recognizes outstanding teamwork and innovative strategies that strengthen healthcare recruitment, retention, and workforce development across Kansas.

The hospital was recognized for its visionary approach to building a sustainable local talent pipeline in rural healthcare. Addressing industry-wide rural healthcare shortages, the hospital launched its career advancement program to create an accessible "earn-while-you-learn" pathway for community members and existing staff.

After approval from the Kansas Department of Commerce under the Kansas Apprenticeship Act, the program launched in April 2025 under the leadership of William Newton Hospital Education Program Manager Cheryl Brock and former Director of Human Resources Tiffany Shinneman. Coordinated by Brock, the cross-functional team now includes current Director of Human Resources David Camp, HR Specialist/Payroll Coordinator Sharon Walker, Director of Marketing & Communications Sarah Johnson, and Marketing Coordinator Kylie Stamper.

"Strategies that address workforce supply through a pipeline of talent are essential to providing optimal health in Kansas," said Brock. "Positioning WNH as a teaching hospital allows us to remove financial barriers for students while filling critical operational gaps. By pairing classroom instruction with paid clinical hours alongside experienced preceptors, we are investing in both our community's economic development and the future of healthcare in Cowley County."

In its inaugural year, William Newton Hospital’s program achieved immediate success. The hospital enrolled 19 apprentices across high-demand clinical specialties, maintaining a 63.2% retention rate with 12 active apprentices in Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Mammography, Diagnostic Imaging, and Registered Nurse tracks. By the end of 2026, nine apprentices are scheduled to complete their requirements, transitioning directly into vital healthcare roles.

The program's reach has relied heavily on strong community relationships. The team forged strategic partnerships with Winfield High School HOSA (Future Health Professionals), Cowley College, Southwestern College, Penn Foster, the City of Winfield, Winfield Fire/EMS, TalentGro, Kansas Hospital Association, and the Kansas Department of Commerce.

To sustain and expand the initiative, William Newton Hospital successfully secured significant grant funding, including $33,000 through the Kansas Apprenticeship Tax Act Grant, a $3,000 State Apprenticeship Grant, and ongoing funding through the Patterson Family Foundation. These financial resources are strategically allocated to offset training expenses and support preceptors through competitive wage enhancements and completion bonuses. Coupled with human resources salary restructuring initiatives under Camp's leadership in 2026, the hospital has established a high-quality, supportive training environment.

Due to strong interest from applicants and internal staff, the hospital is currently exploring opportunities to expand the program into non-clinical sectors, including dietary, health information management, and other support services.

Learn more about career and apprenticeship opportunities at William Newton Hospital, visit: https://www.wnhcares.org/career-advancement