Best Hospitals to Work for in South Dakota

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Home to Mount Rushmore and the Badlands, South Dakota also prides itself on its excellent healthcare organizations. 

Top hospitals in South Dakota are no exception when it comes to providing the best medical services to the community. Whether you are a registered nurse planning to advance your career or a recent graduate looking for the best nursing jobs in the state, you need to know about these top-ranking hospitals in the state. 

South Dakota’s Top Hospital

• Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
• Avera Dells Area Hospital
• Bennett County Hospital and Nursing Home
• Black Hills Surgical Hospital
• Sanford USD Medical Center

Best Hospitals in South Dakota

Some of these are  Magnet® hospitals, which must reach certain strict standards put in place by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Only 9.3% make it to the list for providing the benchmark of nursing excellence. South Dakota has 2 Magnet® hospitals along with a few top hospitals you may consider:

1. Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
2. Avera Dells Area Hospital
3. Bennet County Hospital and Nursing Home
4. Black Hills Surgical Hospital
5. Sanford USD Medical Center

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center

The flagship hospital of Avera, one of the 15 top health systems in the nation, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center embodies every standard of a Magnet® hospital. According to US News, the medical facility is ranked #1 in the nation for 3 adult specialties and #2 in South Dakota as the best regional hospital. It has also been cited as high-performing in two adult specialties and seven procedures and conditions. Avera is South Dakota’s largest private employer with more than 13,000 employees and physicians.

• Administration: Non-profit
• Hospital Type: General and Surgical facility, teaching hospital
• Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Employees: 13,000+

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Avera Dells Area Hospital

A part of the Avera Health System, Avera Dells Area Hospital is a general medical and surgical facility. Only 21 miles from Sioux Falls Regional Airport, it is an excellent critical-access hospital that offers a full range of advanced services that is accessible and cost effective for the community. They were also recognized as one of the Top 100 Critical Access hospitals in the US by the Chartis Center for Rural Health in 2021.

• Administration: Non-profit
• Hospital Type: General medical and surgical facility
• Location: Dell Rapids, South Dakota

Bennett County Hospital and Nursing Home

Bennett County Hospital and Nursing Home is a general medical and surgical facility. Located 130 miles southeast of Rapid City, this hospital has a nursing home to provide medical care to the urban crowd. Apart from that, Bennett County Hospital also has a rural health clinic that provides primary care, lab services, and hospice care in designated rural communities of the area. 

• Administration: Non-profit
• Hospital Type: General medical and surgical facility
• Location: Martin, South Dakota

Black Hills Surgical Hospital

Black Hills Surgical Hospital is one of the best medical facilities for orthopedic and spine surgical care. US News has recognized it as high performing in 4 conditions and procedures. Located in the second largest city of South Dakota, this multi-specialty health facility serves patients primarily from western South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming.

• Administration: Non-profit
• Hospital Type: Surgical facility
• Location: Rapid City, South Dakota

Sanford USD Medical Center

Sanford USD Medical Center under the Sanford Health system was ranked as one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2017 and 2018. US News has ranked the hospital as #1 regionally ranked hospital in South Dakota and recognized as high performing in 3 adult specialties and 14 procedures and conditions. It is one of the two Magnet®️ hospitals in the state.

• Administration: Non-profit
• Hospital Type: General medical and surgical facility
• Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Employees: 4,000

What makes the best hospital in South Dakota

Let’s look at some qualities that make these the best hospitals in South Dakota.

Benefits

The constant flow of revenue allows the reputed hospitals to provide their employees with financial stability and added perks to attract the best talents in healthcare. Apart from a good salary, employees also enjoy other benefits like financial assistance for homebuyers, tuition assistance, wellness programs, and more.  

Growth opportunity

If you are a nurse who wants to be  part of advanced research in the medical field, eminent hospitals will provide such opportunities for you. High-ranking hospitals facilitate advanced research and innovation within their organization. Such research programs are also well-funded. Thus, employees have a lot of room for growth. 

If you don’t necessarily want to be part of research but you want to move up in the medical field, you can consider positions like nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner. These positions are in high demand and are great options for your career path. 

Employee satisfaction

Exceptional hospitals invest in employee satisfaction to increase productivity. They have the means to offer competitive wages and benefits. They also recruit enough people to give their employees room to breathe and avoid burnout. Satisfied employees create a healthy environment and in turn, provide top-notch care to their patients.

It is pretty common among nurses to face compassion fatigue. In top-ranking hospitals, they enjoy an excellent work-life balance and can happily take up more responsibilities.

High patient satisfaction

Increased crowding in emergency departments impacts patient satisfaction, according to a report published in the NCBI journal. High-performing hospitals make it a point to provide hassle-free service and personalized care to every patient. They are given specialized attention according to their needs. 

Employees tend to feel a certain pride working in such an organization and strive  for excellence.

Other factors that make a top hospital 

Here are some additional factors that make these hospitals top employers.

Safety record is critical

4% of hospitalized patients contract some kind of healthcare-associated infection (HAI), according to CDC reports. Employees of top  hospitals get the best possible training to use proper techniques and sterile conditions during procedures. With a properly trained staff available, the risk of HAI can be reduced by 80%. 

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

Great customer service results in happy patients. Such policies make the patient feel safe and confident in their treatment. When you’re looking for a new place of employment, look for a hospital that prioritizes customer service and upholds the customer’s bill of rights. 

Latest technology and training to improve healthcare

The high-ranking hospitals realize the importance of technology in providing efficient and accurate health services. Such advanced hospitals invest in and adopt new technology to maintain a high standard of health care delivery. 

Working in a top  hospital will upgrade your skill to handle emergencies as a nurse. You can also learn new techniques and make use of the latest innovations in the health industry. 

Ethics lead the way

No matter how exceptional the healthcare services of a hospital are, they will not serve their whole purpose if it’s not accessible to the entire community. Top hospitals find ways to deliver top-notch healthcare at an affordable rate. Such policies prove the ethical way of functioning of a hospital.

Next steps

As a practicing nurse or a recent graduate with suitable nursing expertise, working in one of the above-listed South Dakota hospitals may advance your skills and career aspirations.

Looking for a job but getting overwhelmed?  Without the right strategies, landing your dream job can be hard.  With these guides and resources, it will be easier for you to get your dream job in the top hospitals in South Dakota.

Build your resume

The first step to standing out among the crowd of applicants is a well-structured resume. First, understand the job’s role and personalize your resume according to the hospital and the job you want. Point out your degrees and accolades, and highlight your strongest skills. Keep a solid  list of references who can speak to your character and your work ethic. Follow this nursing resume guide for more information.

Join a nurses association

Want to find the best nursing jobs? Start networking in the community. If you have access to the relevant networks, you will receive multiple opportunities to choose from. Does your state have a nurses union? Weigh the pros and cons of such unions. If you find them suitable, join a professional nursing organization promptly. 

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Attend industry conferences and workshops

Check out top nursing conferences and keep up-to-date with the recent updates in the healthcare sector. The healthcare industry advances every day, and you need to keep up with it! Attending conferences will help you learn relevant skills and gain knowledge of advanced healthcare techniques to have that edge over other candidates. 

Keep up with continuing education requirements

Every state has different education requirements. To stay relevant in this ever-growing field, updating your qualifications in accordance with the demand is key. Incredible Health offers free CEU courses, which will add to your expertise. Simply sign up to access them today!

Search for job openings

You need to keep track of various job postings by notable hospitals to get the very best opportunity for yourself. The right resources can guide you to all the best nursing openings at the best hospitals above or elsewhere in South Dakota. Sign up on our platform and never miss a job update from eminent hospitals.

Transfer your nursing license to South Dakota

If you want to work in South Dakota, gather information on the nursing license transfer policies of the state. Nurses coming from a compact state and moving to another compact state can quickly transfer their license. But if it’s a non-compact state, things might get a little tricky. Here is a guide to help you along the process.