Maggie McKay (Host): If your dream is to be a nurse, but you don't know where to start after school, today we'll find out about nursing opportunities at Community Memorial Healthcare with Dr. Diane Drexler, Chief Nursing Officer.

Welcome to Wise and Well presented by Community Memorial Healthcare. I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Thank you so much for being here, Dr. Drexler. It's a pleasure to have you.

Dr. Diane Drexler: It's my pleasure to be here.

Host: So, Community Memorial Healthcare has several ways it supports career growth to its employees and RNs, as well as the new graduate aspiring RNs in our community. So as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services, can you walk us through the key components of the Nurse Residency Program and the Nurse Internship 1 and 2 Programs at Community Memorial?

Dr. Diane Drexler: Sure. The Nurse Residency Program, we founded that in 2017 and we've put a little over a hundred nurse residents through that program. It is a structured program where you've got both didactic simulation as well as hands-on training. It's 18 weeks and it really gives the new nurse an opportunity to really hone in on their skills as well as work one on one with a preceptor. We've had a 90% retention rate of our nurse residents in our program, a great venue for new nurses to work through.

The nurse intern programs are for nursing students that are currently in school. The Nurse Intern 1 is for that student that is just starting in nursing school. They do have to get a recommendation from their faculty that they are okay to work as well as go to school. And the nurse intern one has limited skills. And, again, we've got those skills. They work one to one with a preceptor on the designated floor. The Nurse Intern 2 has even more skills that they can use and hone in on again one to one with their preceptor. We started the intern program a little over a year ago, and we've had a 90% retention rate of those nurse interns once they graduate.

Host: That's amazing. It sounds like it's very effective and, like Community Memorial Healthcare, has it covered for sure. What inspired the creation of these programs and how do they support the longevity of healthcare in our community?

Dr. Diane Drexler: The nurse residency program was developed really using a lot of evidence-based research on how to onboard new nurses, really getting them comfortable coming into practice. The nurse intern program was developed in a collaborative effort between our community college here in Ventura and our Cal State Channel Islands University on how we could partner with those schools to really start developing our workforce.

Host: And how do these programs enhance the quality of patient care at Community Memorial Healthcare?

Dr. Diane Drexler: One of my goals and in our organization's goals is to have our nurses working here and not to use a lot of outside registry or travelers. Because when you've got your own nurses working here, they are fully vested in your organizational goals and objectives. And I'm happy to say right now we have zero travelers. And again, I think a lot of it is because of these programs, the nurse residency program, as well as our intern program.

Host: So basically, you're investing in the next generation.

Dr. Diane Drexler: Absolutely. Absolutely.

Host: And how do these programs address the needs of new nurses and clinicians as they develop in their careers?

Dr. Diane Drexler: Again, it gives them an opportunity to really practice the skills that they're learning. As the nurse interns progress through their nursing school programs, they are practicing real time as they're learning their skills. So by the time they graduate, they are familiar with the unit, they are familiar with the documentation, they are familiar with the schools, and they are familiar just interacting with patients.

Host: That's so great. So, it already feels like home to them. They already know everybody. Everyone knows them. I think that's brilliant. Community Memorial Healthcare offers opportunities in adult acute and critical care, maternal child health, and emergency medicine for nursing students. So, can you elaborate a little bit on the learning experiences available in each of these areas?

Dr. Diane Drexler: Each areas is a very specialty area. And, in addition, they also take new graduates. And again, as they have students come through their specific areas, it's very tailored to that specialty area. And again, that gives student as well as the unit an opportunity to say, "Is this the area I want to work in after I graduate?" And if that does work out, we do have the new grad programs. And again, these students have already been on the unit, they know the people, they know where the supplies are, they know the documentation. And that's just a really nice transition into practice in those specialty areas.

Host: I imagine it's a lot less stressful for them. Could you walk us through the roles and responsibilities of nurse interns and nurse residents within the acute care hospital setting?

Dr. Diane Drexler: The nurse residence, again it's an 18-week program. They initially have a lot of didactic work that they do. After the didactic portion, then they transition to simulation. We do have a simulation lab here on site. So, they get to work with different scenarios. Once they have completed that area, then they go and they work in designated areas, again with preceptors, taking care of patients, you know, with their specific skill in that area. The interns, again, they're students. And as they go through their nursing school program and they learn advanced skills, they can apply those skills throughout their internship.

Host: And how do these roles contribute to their learning experience, their professional development, and prepare them to be a nurse in today's world?

Dr. Diane Drexler: It gives them the opportunity to really hone in their skills and practice on real patients. And during the pandemic, you know, we did see a slip of that because a lot of learning for students at that point in time was virtual or via simulation. And we did see a gap, once those students graduated and came into practice, you know, being able to just have conversations with patients.

So, these programs give the students, give the residents, give the interns an opportunity to start developing their skills early on. So when they are independent in their practice, they've already refined how they relate with patients, how to do some very basic skills, and it gives them just a great solid foundation to continue to build off of.

Host: Dr. Drexler, could you provide some insight into the application process for the nurse residency program and the nursing internships? What criteria are considered when selecting participants?

Dr. Diane Drexler: Again, the nurse interns are students in programs. We do have a link on our website where they can go and apply for the specific area that they're interested, ED, maternal-child health, acute care, critical care, and they select where they want to do the internship. One of the criterias is that we do have a recommendation from a faculty member from the program that they're in to apply. Once we have received that, they will set up an interview with that department manager and take it from there. The nurse residents are individuals that have already graduated but not yet have practiced. So once they have graduated and have passed the NCLEX, they can apply for the nurse residency program. We get anywhere from 200 to 300 applications, and we do have 15 spots. So, it's very competitive

Host: Well, I bet. It sounds like it is ideal for a student who wants to get into the hospital there. And what do you think sets these programs apart from similar initiatives offered elsewhere?

Dr. Diane Drexler: For Community Memorial, I think it is our culture, our preceptors, our educators, and our staff who are fully committed into helping train these individuals, help mentor them, and help make them comfortable in their environment early on in practice.

Host: And as these new nurses complete residency and training programs, what does career growth look like in terms of advancement opportunities or if they're able to pursue different nursing specialties?

Dr. Diane Drexler: We have a clinical advancement program at CMH that gives our nurses the opportunity to participate in committees, to participate in even nursing research. Once they complete the Clinical Advancement Program, they do get recognized by getting a bump in salary, but it helps them grow in their professional practice, not just with the clinical skills, but the leadership skills as well. So, they can just work on their unit if that's all they want to do, but there's other venues like our Clinical Advancement Program if they want to continue to learn and grow.

Host: Finally, what advice would you give to nursing students who are considering a career as a nurse at Community Memorial Healthcare?

Dr. Diane Drexler: I have been a nurse for 37 years, and it's been a wonderful career. And the environment that you select is key really helping you develop your confidence, helping you grow, not only as a clinician, but as a leader. And that's the unique part about Community Memorial is our culture, is our environment and our structured programs that we have to offer new graduate nurses.

Host: In closing, is there anything else you'd like to add that you think people interested

Maggie McKay (Host): need to know?

Dr. Diane Drexler: I have been at Community Memorial for four years, came right in the middle of the pandemic. I didn't plan it that way, just turned out that way. And I will tell you, it is probably one of the best environments that I have worked in, where we've got great collaboration with our medical staff, which is another very unique feature here.

Host: It sounds very supportive. And if I was a nursing student, I can see why so many people apply to those programs. Thank you so much. This has been really informative and helpful. We appreciate you being here.

Dr. Diane Drexler: My pleasure. Thank you.

Host: Again, that's Dr. Diane Drexler. And if you'd like to find out more, please visit mycmh.org/aboutus/residency-training. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. I'm Maggie McKay. Thanks for listening. This is Wise and Well presented by Community Memorial Healthcare.