Local hospitals welcome new class of RN intern/resident new graduates

Wed, 07/19/2017 - 4:00pm

ROCKPORT– LincolnHealth, Pen Bay Medical Center (PBMC) and Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH) are proud to welcome the summer class of RN Intern/Resident New Graduates to their regional training program. In this regional program, LincolnHealth, PBMC and WCGH hire new RN graduates as full-time nurses who gain skills and knowledge during a 12-week internship followed by a 9-month residency including at least two years of employment at their respective location.

During the internship, the new RN gains enhanced skills through classes with the Regional Education Department's clinical educators and other experienced nursing staff. The new RN then works under the direction of an RN preceptor and their department's manager performing various duties assisting in the care of patients. During residency phase, the new RN works independently under the guidance of a mentor and supervision of the department's manager.

This regional internship/residency program is designed to support a new graduate nurse in making the transition from student to competent clinical practitioner as guided by the Maine Nurse Core Competencies. The program focuses on clinical, technical, professional, and educational learning and bedside experiences which will assist the new nurse in developing his/her full potential to provide safe, quality, cost-effective, patient care.

LincolnHealth, PBMC and WCGH are proud to work with these new registered nurses to help them bridge from nursing school into the clinical environment and are pleased that many of the new graduates decide to stay on for more than two years.

Michelle Burtis, nursing director of the medical surgical unit at PBMC, states that the hospital has been offering an internship program for more than 20 years and that the program is very attractive to new RNs as it offers significant support to nurses who are transitioning from student to RN. Clinical educators provide classroom and simulation lab instruction on a variety of topics such as IV therapy, physical assessment and management of stroke patients. As the RNs progress through the program, they work closely with experienced preceptors who guide and support continued learning at the bedside. Over the years, the program has attracted new RN graduates from across the country including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Georgia, Virginia, New York, Kansas and Colorado. Recent inquiries have come from nurses in California, Washington, Montana and Texas.

Dan Towers, a new graduate RN from New York who participated in the 2015 intern program states, "The nurse to patient ratio of 1:4 on days and the promise of the initial training and continued support from my colleagues played a huge part in my decision to choose PBMC. My colleagues were and are a strong and close knit group. I have from the start, been encouraged and given opportunities to further my professional education, skills and nursing expertise. Aside from that, I would be hard pressed to find a nicer hospital to be in, truly. From the friendliness and quality of the staff (hospital wide), to the patients' appreciation of care we provide. Not to mention, the setting of the hospital provides green fields and ocean views from the patient rooms. I look forward to being a nurse here, every day, and am very thankful to be able to say that".

The regional program is offered to acute care and long term care RNs. Minimum qualifications to be considered for the program are: graduate of an accredited school of nursing, must hold current/valid State of Maine RN license before date of hire, current BLS Certification, and ACLS certified within 1 ½ years of hire for ICU and ED RN Intern.

For more information on the program, please contact Sarah Polk at 207-921-6963 or check www.lchcare.org, www.pbmc.org or www.wcgh.org for intern postings.