Keeping Hawai‘i Healthy 2026 – The Queen’s Health Systems

The Queen’s Health Systems prioritizes the recruitment and development of newly licensed nurses, supporting their professional growth and ensuring a robust nursing staff across its six hospitals and 150 health care centers and labs in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.

“Supporting recent nursing graduates as they transition into their new careers is essential to the success of Queen’s nursing,” says Linda Puu, The Queen’s Health Systems senior vice president and chief nursing executive. “Over the past three years, our average 12-month retention rate for new graduate nurses has exceeded 90%, reflecting our commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging environment for early-career professionals.”

In 2025, The Queen’s Health Systems welcomed 71 new graduate nurses, the result of a comprehensive approach to recruitment and development that includes orientation, specialty track programs facilitated by university instructors, and a nurse residency program.

“These initiatives are designed to build clinical confidence, promote professional growth and support long-term success,” says Puu, herself a registered nurse with a master’s in nursing and more than 35 years in the field.

Queen’s partners with the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine and the University of Hawaiʻi School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, serving as a major clinical training site for UH residents and students. It also works with UH on research, education and professional development, and supports nursing education and training across the state in collaboration with Hawaiʻi Pacific University and Chaminade University.

Additionally, Queen’s promotes employment opportunities on job boards, through social media, and with its staff through an employee referral program.

“Our employees are our No. 1 referral source,” Puu says. “We also partner with local educational institutions and offer externship and clinical rotation opportunities to students.”

Queen’s also offers ongoing professional development programs to its nurses, to help expand their skills and advance their careers. They include the Evidence-Based Practice Mentoring Program, Nurse Research Fellowship, the Emerging Nurse Leadership Program and the Clinical Ladder Program.

“Our professional development program enables our nurses to participate in workshops, conferences and courses on nursing,” Puu says. “At Queen’s, we believe every nurse is a leader. Through our shared decision-making structure, nurses at all levels are empowered to take ownership and accountability for their professional practice, driving excellence, innovation and compassionate care across our system.”

The Queen’s Medical Center is the only hospital in Hawaiʻi to achieve American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet® Recognition, the highest honor for quality and nursing excellence in the U.S. And four of its nursing departments have been recognized for excellence and healthy work environments through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Likewise, The Queen’s Health Systems’ Nurse Residency Program includes Hawaiʻi’s only accredited Practice Transition Accreditation Program. Certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, it offers residency experience in an acute care hospital setting to help nurses gain knowledge and tools to jump-start their careers.

“For 167 years, the vision of Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV has guided The Queen’s Health Systems in providing quality health care to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians and all the people of Hawaiʻi,” Puu says. “Today, their legacy lives on through the compassion, dedication and professionalism of our nurses, who bring our mission to life every day.”