Nursing

Add some freshness to your stale orientation

Nurse Leader Weekly, July 10, 2006

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It can be as simple as a timeline, a cup of coffee, or five minutes on the clock.

"Small things can make or break your first impression," said Diana Swihart, PhD, DMin, MSN, CS, APRN, BC, who works as a clinical nurse specialist in nursing education at the Bay Pines (FL) VA Healthcare System. "At orientation, it's absolutely critical."

Swihart and colleague Alice D. Morales-Rullan, MSN, CS, tackled the issue of orientation during the recent HCPro audioconference "Designing Effective Orientation Programs: Tips and Tools for Professional Practice Environments." The duo posed new ideas for how to set up useful orientations and obtain worthwhile assessments from new staff members to evaluate your current paradigm, both of which can make the beginning stages of employment more valuable for you and your new employees.

Is it time for a shift in my hospital's thinking?

Orientation has always included basics, Swihart said. The traditional welcome consists of, for example, survival information, a vast amount of policies and procedures, and a plethora of forms. "We're quite prolific in the amount of paper we can generate," Swihart joked.

This material can be so daunting and overwhelming that new employees are unable to process much of the information. And, at the end of orientation, they can forget what they've become oriented to, Swihart said. She suggested a new paradigm to make orientation more organized and valuable, and recommended a new model that

  • includes a timeline of training and support
  • energizes, motivates, and celebrates staff
  • addresses "new job remorse"
  • creates a planned culture (perhaps including shared governance and Magnet)
  • anticipates retention
  • accelerates productivity
  • addresses specific population needs
  • builds teamwork
  • emphasizes legal, compliance, and competency issues
  • recognizes the value and importance of first impressions

"So they are actually able to begin functioning on the unit as a valued member of the team," Swihart said.

To accomplish this, Swihart shared some best practices that can give new staff a favorable first impression, such as celebrating their arrival on the unit. Morales-Rullan suggested something as simple as introducing them to their new coworkers or putting their picture up on a bulletin board. Also, consider letting them leave early-even if it's just five minutes-which can help send them home with a smile.

Editor's Note: This excerpt was taken from The Staff Educator, July 2006, HCPro, Inc.



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