Nurses are an integral part of our healthcare system, advocating for patients and providing excellent care to every person every day. Knowing this, Parkview Health strives to support these dedicated caregivers by providing numerous personal and professional growth opportunities. Alicia Floor, DNP, RN, nursing services manager, Parkview Health, discusses one of these options and how newly graduated nurses can take advantage of this unique opportunity.
What is the First Year RN Rotation?
It is an opportunity and position for nurses with less than 12 months of experience to safely explore up to three units in one year. It’s an excellent option for newly graduated nurses who may not know where they want to start their career or those interested in building a solid foundation of skills before moving into a specialty unit.
What does the rotation entail?
This position provides pre-set paths to medical, surgical and specialty units. Each candidate’s experience gets tailored to what they are interested in now and where they want to practice in the future. The opportunity lasts 12 months for each new graduate and includes three rotations. After a 12-week orientation, the newly graduated nurse will continue to work on their first unit with strong support from the team. After six months, they can choose to apply for their current position and stay on with that unit or rotate to two additional units for 12 weeks each. Acceptance into the rotation allows the new graduate nurse to commit to a shift but try different units, patient populations and even change their work shift if needed. It’s all about finding the right fit for each nurse.
How did this opportunity come to fruition?
This opportunity is something that we’ve been considering for some time. As a result of the pandemic and the impact COVID-19 has had on learners who could not participate in clinicals, we realized we needed an entry point for recent graduates to explore inpatient care without committing to a specific unit upfront.
And while nursing schools do a fantastic job at preparing students for their exams, patient care is complex. Depending on where a new graduate wishes to work, entrance into a specialty unit such as the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency department, or Women’s and Children’s can be daunting as they work to learn foundational nursing skills and those required for a particular specialty. That’s where the First Year RN Rotation can help because education and skill mastery continue in the unit. The rotation ensures the nursing candidate can master foundational skills before adding specialty skills to the mix, which can help take some of the stress out of the first year of nursing.
Who’s a good candidate for Parkview’s First Year RN Rotation?
Candidates for the First Year RN Rotation include any newly graduated registered nurse who may be uncertain about what unit they want to work in. This placement will allow each person to explore different units, teams, managers, and shifts to determine the best fit for them.
How does participating in the First Year RN Rotation help someone’s nursing career?
It allows new graduates to vary their skillsets based on the different units they experience. No matter where a nurse practices, they must have a mastery of foundational skills such as time management, assessments, interdisciplinary communication and care planning. Nurses who participate may feel more prepared to enter specialty units and given greater consideration over new graduate nurses who haven’t broadened their skill set or patient exposure.
Why does Parkview offer such a valuable opportunity?
Our goal is to help new nurses safely navigate the first year of their career, which can be both rewarding and challenging. We want to begin the partnership early in hopes of offering a different way of experiencing their first nursing job. We know that nurses who feel comfortable with the patients they are caring for, in a unit they enjoy, with team members they feel supported by, will deliver exceptional care. It is a win for patients, nurses and Parkview.
How can someone apply to the First Year RN Rotation?
Interested applicants can apply by visiting Parkview’s career page and searching for the First Year Nurse Rotation position.
Final thoughts
Our goal is to partner with nursing students about to move into their first career. The First Year RN Rotation is a dynamic role that allows us to understand your wants and needs while crafting an experience that makes you proud to be a Parkview nurse.
