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Dominican Sisters Offer Healthcare Career Path for Compassionate Caregivers

104-year-old Sister Elise Bocke is one of the Springfield Dominican Sisters who lives in the Dominican Sisters’ private residential facility on West Monroe Street in Springfield, Ill.

Launch your healthcare career with the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, who are looking for CNAs—or those who wish to be—to care for the elder sisters in a newly refurbished 36-bed facility at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield. The sisters offer a tuition program for employees, enabling those interested in a healthcare career a place to begin.

“We hire experienced resident assistants or home care workers,” explained HR Director Cora Hughes. “Because we are a private residential facility, C.N.A. credentials are not required. Sacred Heart Convent is a fantastic entry-level employer for people with limited experience because we offer tuition assistance to our employees.  We want our coworkers to always have the option to learn and grow, as lifelong learning is one of the sisters’ core values.”

The convent is home to about 90 Springfield Dominican Sisters, including the eldest of the sisters who have given decades of service as teachers, pastoral leaders, and spiritual mentors through the ministries of the Dominican Sisters in Illinois and across the nation. About 30 sisters live in the care facility called Regina Coeli. The twenty-year-old building has been renovated and is now being readied for the sisters to move back in. The move should be completed by the end of February. Last summer the Regina Coeli residents were moved to another building on the campus to facilitate the renovation.

A peek at the newly renovated Regina Coeli.
A peek at the newly renovated Regina Coeli.

“I started my nursing career with the Dominican Sisters,” said Lenece Jefferson, C.N.A. “Even though I could easily go somewhere else, I love it here,” she explained. “This is not just a nursing facility. It is the sisters’ home. We treat the sisters with respect and they respect and value the care we provide.”

The sisters also need to hire an LPN for second shift, due to a veteran nurse’s upcoming retirement.  Sacred Heart Convent boasts uncanny longevity. Almost a third of all coworkers working at the convent have been with the sisters for 10 years or more (some nearing 30 years).

Those interested can complete an online application form for the compassionate caregiver or LPN position at https://springfieldop.org/work-at-shc or call Cora Hughes at 217-787-0481 for more information.


Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, is an equal opportunity employer. A pre-employment background check is mandatory.

The sisters are members of a global Dominican family, the Order of Preachers. For more than 800 years, Dominicans have preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ through word and action. The Springfield Dominicans were established in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1873 and relocated to Springfield in 1893. Today, thousands of Dominican sisters, nuns, priests, brothers, associates, and laity minister in more than 100 countries around the world. To learn more about the Dominican Sisters of Springfield visit springfieldop.org.

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