As a new nurse fresh out of school I was filled with excitement and fear. Honestly, I felt like I knew nothing. However, I remember being reassured by others that what I was feeling was “the norm.” While preparing for my interview at Children’s Hospital of Michigan I learned about its RN Residency Program, which gave me confidence and reassurance as I began my new career as a nurse at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
For me, the RN Residency Program made a large hospital not seem so overwhelming. Instead, I felt connected with other nurses. The 22-week period included reviews of important school topics and Children’s Hospital policies and regulations. In addition, we met in small groups to share our unit experiences with other new nurses. The sessions were valuable as they provided opportunities to lean on each other and offer support as we took this journey together.
We also had opportunities to work on other units in the hospital, which is referred to as partnering. Partnering provided a broader view of what our patients experience while in the hospital. For example, I partnered in the OR and followed a patient as she left the floor for surgery. I stayed with her as she returned to the preoperative, operating and recovery rooms and ultimately back to her room. Partnering exposed us to new experiences within the hospital setting.
Another advantage to being an RN Residency Program participant was that we had mentors. Our mentors served as sounding boards and big brothers and sisters who listened and provided guidance. I met with my mentor at least once a week. I found this very helpful. I felt comfortable with her enough to speak freely without worry that I would be judged. She was always available to offer advice.
We also had preceptors who supervised our work. Because we worked alongside each other, they could offer guidance and provide constructive feedback regarding our performance. They’d let us know if we were doing well or if improvement was needed. We also met with our educators and managers on a regular basis, which helped open the lines of communication and made the RN Residency Program participants, feel more accepted by staff on the units.
The RN Residency Program at Children’s Hospital of Michigan offers numerous opportunities to help new nurses become more knowledgeable and confident. Even now, I often hear established nurses express that they wished they had a program like RN Residency when they first began their careers. I just smile to myself and think just how lucky I was to have benefited from the program. Many say it takes at least a year to feel confident and secure as a nurse. I feel that RN Residency helped me make the transition much sooner.