New program trains novice nurses
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A new program designed to bridge the gap between nursing school training and actual practice in a hospital setting began at Backus in January.
The Nurse Residency Program, the only one of its kind in the region, will help ease the transition for new nurses coming out of school and into a fast paced acute care setting, nursing officials say.
Participants are able to observe various nursing jobs before applying for a specific position within the hospital.
"This new program provides a well-rounded overview of the entire organization, leaving graduate nurses ready to practice safely, comfortably and confidently," said Manuela Lescault, a registered nurse in the Backus Nursing and Community Education Department and Coordinator of the Nurse Residency Program.
Offering an intensive overview encompassing several disciplines, the program focuses on building skill sets, fostering critical thinking and professional development, and application of this knowledge to solve problems at the bedside.
After an initial orientation period, residents spend a significant amount of time rotating through all inpatient units, followed by more experience in specialty areas, such as the Birthing Center, Emergency Department, Critical Care and Psychiatric Services.
Ms. Lescault said the goal is to provide a wide variety of experiences to help nurse residents acclimate into their new roles.
"We can accomplish this by utilizing our own experts in shared disciplines within the hospital," she said. "For example, to give a more in-depth overview of how cardiac disease is treated, residents have hands-on tours of the cardiac patient care areas and perform rounds with a physician.
"Residents also have time off of the patient units for classes specific to new nurses, didactic practice, simulation scenarios, and case presentations," said Justin Sleeper, a registered nurse and Director of Nursing Education.
Towards the completion of the program, the residents can determine where their skill-set fits best based upon their experiences, and apply for open positions in a unit of their choice. They finish the program on the unit they were hired for.
The program, to be held two times a year, began on Jan. 19 and will run for 28 weeks.
Eight nurses, selected by a committee, are enrolled. There will be 18 openings in the June program.
A member of the Nursing and Community Health Education Department since last May, Ms. Lescault previously was an Assistant Professor at the Community College of Rhode Island.
Backus is committed to providing a supportive environment for new nurses' learning needs and to help ease the transition into their professional roles, Ms. Lescault said.
"I'm excited about this program, and looking forward to serving as a mentor and role-model," she said.
To view photos of the Nurse Residency Program, click here.