ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Mission Hospital says it has exceeded its goal of hiring 90 medical-surgical nurses in 90 days, reaching the milestone ahead of schedule as part of broader efforts to bolster staffing and patient care in Western North Carolina.

Hospital officials announced Friday that the hiring push is part of an ongoing strategy to address workforce challenges across the health care system.

“Reaching this goal ahead of schedule reflects the dedication of our recruitment teams and the strong interest from nurses who want to make a difference in our community,” Jorie Matijevich, regional vice president of human resources for Mission Health, said in a statement. “While workforce challenges continue across health care, we are focused on building and supporting a strong team to meet the needs of our patients.”

Mission Health said it has added about 400 employees since January and has hosted or participated in nearly 40 recruitment events over the past three months.

The hospital system said incentives such as sign-on bonuses have been used to attract nurses, along with employee referral programs that offer bonuses to current staff who recruit new hires.

In addition to hiring registered nurses, Mission Health said it is investing in workforce development through paid training programs. Those programs allow participants to train as medical assistants or certified nursing assistants, or pursue accelerated imaging certifications, including CT and MRI credentials, while earning a paycheck.

Hospital officials said recruitment efforts remain ongoing as demand for health care workers continues nationwide./Careers.