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New Graduates
Douglas J. Cioffiro, RN, BSN, EMT
Emergency Room Nurse
Participated in New Graduate Program
Prior to nursing school, I was a business major and employed in sales and small business machine service and repair. I also served as a volunteer for the local ambulance corps. Upon graduation from nursing school, I elected to join the staff of Hudson Valley because of the hospital's commitment to staff development which I had witnessed while employed as a PCT in the Emergency Department. I recognized that a learning environment was critical to both my personal and professional growth. I appreciated the interdisciplinary collaboration that occurs with the diagnosis and treatment of every patient who presents here for care.
The new graduate program provided a smooth transition from student to responsible RN by providing both clinical skill building and critical thinking skills. Learning experiences were provided in a variety of clinical areas allowing me to broaden the scope of my knowledge. The availability of a resource person at all times in each setting, allowed me to work through my assignments with confidence, knowing that I always had a more experienced RN to direct me when I wasn't certain of my assessment or comfortable taking action independently. Periodic formal progress reports helped me to focus on areas that I needed to improve upon.
Review of actual patient care and case studies with the educators facilitated my decision making by reinforcing the nursing process. During specialty skills training in the emergency room, we used a process of demonstration and return demonstration for competency validation, which I believe protected me as well as my patients. I have always felt part of the team. My manager has the ability to bring out the best in each individual, capitalizing on each of our interests and abilities. This continues to make the ER a unit where nurses can work safely and progressively to enhance their competency.
Matt Ranalletta, RN,
Brillinger Nurse
Participated in New Graduate Program
My enrollment in the Hudson Valley Hospital Center Graduate Nurse (GN) program began February 2006 after completing my BSN course work. The enrollment process was made easy through the assistance of the Nursing Education Office. They provided me with all the information and paperwork needed to begin the GN program. With this information, I was put in contact with my present Nursing Manager, and proceeded to interview for a day position on the telemetry unit. Since then, I have been practicing on this same unit, first as a GN, now as a RN.
The Graduate Nurse program has been a tremendous boost for the start of my nursing career. Through the guidance of my preceptor, Melissa Cummings and the other unit nurses, I gained an incredible amount of knowledge and practice experience during the twelve week GN timeframe. At the beginning of the GN program, I was given the core competency booklet for RN's day by day. My preceptor and I worked to complete each skill and task outlined in the core competency booklet. Then as I progressed week by week, the duties and responsibilities I was accountable for increased in complexity and skill, meanwhile increasing my patient load and duties. Toward the end of my twelfth week in the GN program, I was responsible for total care for up to six patients with the assistance of my preceptor as needed. Through this program, I was able to progress as I felt comfortable and assured in my abilities. This helped me greatly in my initial steps of building my nursing skills and practice.
I feel the GN program allowed me the autonomy to critically think and make independent decisions while allowing me the ability to call upon the expertise of my preceptor as needed. I recommend the Graduate Nurse program to those beginning their career in nursing. Through the guidance and instruction of the Nursing Education Office, the individual preceptors, and the staff nurses, an entry level RN will gain the knowledge and confidence needed for professional practice.
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