The First Year RN Rotation is a one-year initiative that was created at the height of COVID-19 to cater to recent grad students who could not get into the hospital and gain clinical experience. Since then, the concept has transformed into a unique opportunity for new nurses to explore their long-term career goals in up to three different adult inpatient care units before choosing and applying for a permanent role.
We spoke with Ashley Kees, MSN, RN, CMSRN, to learn more about how the role empowers its cohorts during their first year and beyond. Current nursing rotation participants Molly Schneider, RN, BSN and Pat Kirkpatrick, RN, BSN, NREMT-P, also shared their firsthand perspectives and aspirations for the future.
A framework for success
How would you describe an ideal candidate for the First Year RN Rotation?
Ashley: An ideal candidate is a motivated nurse who has held a nursing license for less than a year. We rotate them through three units at Parkview Regional Medical Center or Parkview Hospital Randallia campuses. Participants spend about 12 weeks on each unit, so they get three different experiences to help them determine where they can contribute the most here at Parkview.
How do you decide which rotations are best for each nurse?
Ashley: When selecting rotations and where we place people, we try to put them in areas that benefit them. We want them, whenever they apply to that forever job here at Parkview, to have experience they can draw from in those areas so they're more marketable to the managers hiring them after the process.
Why do you think First Year RN Rotation is so valuable for new nurses?
Ashley: I think it's a valuable opportunity for new nurses because it gives them that background and helps guide them through becoming a nurse. Many new nurses do not know what unit or where their passion is in nursing when applying for their first nursing job. Sometimes, the only exposure they've had in the acute care setting is through clinical experiences, which can be very different from being the sole nurse responsible for caring for patients. This program lets them come in, gain experience and decide what they want to do in nursing.
Insights from participants
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing, and what attracted you to the First Year RN Rotation?
Molly: I wanted to go into nursing because I love the medical field, but I also wanted to care for the patients and be with them through some of the hardest things they'll ever go through.
I am not from Fort Wayne. I applied for the First Year RN Rotation because I liked the idea of working in a couple of different units and being supported through my first year rather than just being thrown in and having to commit to a role without ever setting foot on the campus.
Pat: My wife inspired me to become a nurse. She's also a nurse, and I have enjoyed working in the medical field for the last 14 years, so it was the next logical step for me. The rotation appealed to me because it allowed me to explore different units that I had not previously seen.
What has your journey in the program been like?
Molly: I have worked on 5 South Medical and 4 South Oncology units at Parkview Regional Medical Center throughout my rotation.
I haven't found my permanent home yet, but I've loved both units I've been on so far. I've also had the opportunity to apply for others in the hospital and am currently having interviews. I hope to stay with the oncology unit or transition to a permanent role in the labor and delivery unit at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
Pat: My experience in the program has been pretty limited. When I first started, I was considering three different rotations, but I ended up in Neurology during my first rotation and found my home. I love it there. It's helping me grow.
What challenges have you faced during your first year as a nurse, and how has the First Year RN Rotation helped you overcome them?
Molly: I haven't had many challenges, but having the support of extra people behind me I can go to with any questions has been such a relief. It's allowed me to learn and be confident in what I'm doing because I know everyone is there to see the patients get better and help me succeed.
Pat: Coming from an EMS and law enforcement background, I've had to adjust to different documentation protocols, but my leaders have been outstanding. They have been very helpful in guiding me on how to properly document what I need to. This is by far one of the most cultivating management styles I've ever witnessed.
How has participating in the First Year RN Rotation influenced your long-term goals in nursing?
Molly: I think being part of this program has upped my confidence as a nurse. I'm so grateful to have experienced a variety of units so early in my career because it has shown me that I can change the setting I am in and still have the support I need to be a great nurse.
Pat: Once I am comfortable, I would like to continue participating in this program to help others. I want students to be able to come to me so I can teach them and give them the same opportunities that I've had.
What would you say to nursing students considering the RN Rotation program?
Molly: I wasn't 100% confident in myself when leaving nursing school, so I applied for this program, and I'm so grateful that I did. It broadens your horizons. You have more support behind you in that first year, and you get to learn from and build rapport with so many different nurses, techs and pharmacists because you are immersing yourself in the culture of that unit.
Pat: Do it. If you don't know where you want to go, this is the place to do it. If you do know where you want to go, do it anyway because you may find something better.
Learn more
Are you or someone you know ready to launch your career through the First Year RN Rotation program? Interested applicants can apply by visiting Parkview's career page and searching for the First Year RN Rotation position. You can also contact our talent acquisition team at Parkview by calling 260-266-7263 or emailing [email protected] for more information.