preferences firsthand, the running of the room and what it's like to
work with each member of the team. This is beneficial, especially
when working with new nurses. It's like filling a blank slate. Because
the nurse has never worked in another surgical facility, she's more
likely to accept and adapt to our way of doing things.
Retention tool
There may be no better way to build a talented and dedicated team
than to train your new hires yourself. It's also a great retention tool.
Nurses who graduate from the internship program feel confident and
content, which creates a strong sense of loyalty and attachment to our
facility. It also creates camaraderie as the interns bond with each
other, their preceptors and our veteran staff members who are ready
to help and teach. In the end, the energy and expense we expend on
our internship program pays us back with experienced, confident
nurses who stick with us. When you factor in how difficult it is to
recruit and hold onto good OR nurses nowadays, that's a pretty sound
investment.
OSM
Ms. Gilmore (tck.andine@gmail.com) is a staff nurse at SCL Lutheran
Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colo.
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