Extended Orientation: From Student to Employee

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Extended Orientation From Student to Employee
Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses November 2005

• Noreen Linton, RN, BN, MN
• Connie Burkart, RN, BN, MCE

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Why we initiated this program

• Initiated in June 2000
• Recruitment and Retention strategy
• Provides competent, confident summer resources
• Program offered annually
• GN late April-early May
• UNE mid-June

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COLLABORATION

• Professional Practice and Development - Nursing
• Human Resources
• Clinical Nurse Educators
• Operations portfolios
• Academic partners
• People and Learning Department

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RESOURCES

• Funded through the Chief Nursing Officer
  Portfolio
• Program Funds support
• Expert Staff Nurses to instruct
• Clinical Buddy-days
• Supplies for skills labs
• Seminar days
• Shared salary expense for new hires

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PARTNERSHIPS

• University of Calgary and Mount Royal College
• Skills lab space
• Provide curricular up-dates and information re
  program structure

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Eligibility Criteria

• Must complete and pass the 6 week consolidated
  clinical session at the end of third year of the
  4 year program
• Must be eligible to exit and sit the CRNE

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Developing the Role

• Unregulated health care provider
• Calgary Health Region job description for
  Undergraduate Nursing Employee (UNE) developed
• UNA pay schedule and designation within
  collective agreement since 2000
• Unit guidelines for activities
• Policies and procedures revised as appropriate

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ENROLLMENT DATA
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RECRUTITMENT/RETENTION

• UNE role has served as a strong recruitment
  retention strategy
• Data shows that more than 50 of GN hires have
  experience within the Region as UNEs.

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MANAGERS SAY

• Good baseline knowledge provided by Extended
  Orientation that provides a standardized starting
  point for the Graduate Nurse
• Comprehensive education. Gives employee a sense
  of belonging and recognition that we are
  committed to their learning.

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PARTICIPANTS SAY

• Made the transition more fluid from being a
  student to an employee.
• It made me feel like I wasnt alone.
• The extended orientation gave me the confidence
  needed to work independently within the unit and
  also as part of a team.
• I strongly recommend this orientation to other
  students

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STAFF SAY

• Helps the UNE clarify tasks/roles and how they
  can be an effective team member
• Allows experienced RNs to act in a mentoring
  role to new staff
• Staff RNs welcome the opportunity to participate
  as content experts during skills labs

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FUTURE DIRECTIONS

• Based on the success of the Extended Orientation,
  General Nursing Orientation for all Nursing hires
  has been modified
• Steering committee considering options for some
  changes to the GN Orientation
• Rural areas developing an extended orientation to
  assist new graduates with transition to rural
  nursing