Maggie McKay (Host): Welcome to Careers in Care, a Mount Carmel College of Nursing podcast. I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Joining us today is Toni Caruso, Nursing Operations Manager of the Critical Care Department, to discuss preparing nursing students for career success. Thank you so much for joining us.

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Thank you for having me today.

Host: So whenever I've been in the hospital or visiting someone in the hospital, I always think nurses are the backbone of the place because they keep it all going, they keep things on time. It just seems like if they weren't there, things might fall apart. Is that a fair assessment?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Definitely. I mean, we are one of the biggest groups in the bedside.

Host: What are some common career pathways for graduates of Mount Carmel College of Nursing?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: The nice thing about being a nurse is you can be a type of nurse anywhere. So, a lot of new nurses start at the hospital, which I think is a great way to learn all of those skills and decide what route you want to go long term.

Host: How does the Mount Carmel Health System support new graduates as they transition into the workforce?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Mount Carmel has a really great program. It's called our Nurse Residency Program. They meet once a month with all of the new grads throughout the whole system. They do some education in the beginning, and then they divide them into subgroups. So if you start as an ICU nurse, you're with other ICU nurses throughout the system, same thing OB, ED, any of that.

And it's just a great way to really get through that first year of nursing, because it is one of the hardest years, and have the support of your colleagues and the educators and your managers.

Host: And what talent acquisition or career coaching opportunities are available to students while they're still at Mount Carmel College of Nursing?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: I'm not 100% sure what Mount Carmel College of Nursing has to offer. But when they partner with Mount Carmel, the healthcare system, we have some really great tech opportunities, one called Pathways to Practice, which helps them grow their nursing skills while they're still a tech. And meeting and networking with all the nursing colleagues that exist at Mount Carmel is a great way to connect with the college.

Host: Toni, what are the most important skills or qualities you look for when you're hiring new nursing graduates?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: For new nurses, I really look for someone who's willing to jump in, to really get every opportunity. Learning nursing is a big learning curve. There's so many different types of patients. And also, knowing their limits. Whether you're uncomfortable or don't have the knowledge, get it and get the help you need to be successful in your role.

Host: How can students best prepare themselves during school to be job-ready after graduation?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: I would say 100% get into patient care. If you can get a tech role anywhere, whether it's casual, full-time, part-time, depending on what you need to be in school, just that patient experience and really getting your hands-on to work closely with patients is going to set you apart from the nursing students who haven't gotten to have that direct patient care outside of clinicals.

Host: And what advice do you have for students who are navigating their first job search in healthcare?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Honestly, I would tell them to consider all of their options. You might think, "Oh, I really want to be an OB nurse. I really want to be an ICU nurse." But really look at all of your options and don't just look for, "Where can I make the most money? Where will I get exactly the schedule I want?" Look where has a good culture. "Where am I going to get to learn and grow? Because that's honestly more important than the amount of money you're making

Host: What do you think some common mistakes are, or at least that you see new graduates make during the hiring process? And how can they avoid them?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: I think not looking at options, saying, you know, "I was a tech here, this is where I'm going to work," and not looking at other opportunities. I also think demanding or expecting a specific schedule. "I have to be on days. I can't do nights. I can't do weekends." You'll miss a lot of learning opportunities by pigeonholing, "I have to have this in order to be successful." So, really keeping your eyes and ears open and finding the best fit for you and your growth.

Host: And looking ahead, what trends are you seeing in healthcare hiring? How should students prepare for the future job market?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Again, just staying open. We are seeing a lot of nurses who want to start part-time right out of nursing school, and I definitely see the allure to that. But nursing's hard and it's definitely a skill and a practice. So, I would encourage nurses to really plan their first job to be full-time, at least for that first year, maybe two or longer, to really get those practice and skills down. I just think that's the way you're going to really grow as a nurse and become comfortable in your role.

Host: How long does nursing school take?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: It depends. There's a lot of factors in nursing school. If you do a traditional program, it's gonna be four years. If you come to nursing as a second degree, like I did, you can get it done as early as 18 months, depending on the program you find. And then, there are some people who do space it out. They get their ADN first and then go back for that BSN. and so I think it's finding the program that works best for you so that you can transition into that nursing role comfortably and feeling prepared.

Host: I think your advice about, you know, when you're interviewing for a new job after you've graduated, don't limit yourself, like your hours or your days. I can't imagine any job that would work in. I mean, right? If you're interviewing someone who's already dictating when they can and can't work, probably not a great idea, right?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Well, and I think, you know, when I became a nurse, and that was a long time ago, you started on nights. That's just how it was. And it's not necessarily that way anymore, but I think there are so many things to be learned in the hospital on day shift versus night shift. They're very different, experiences, but they're both super valuable.

So, I think saying, "Oh, I can't do nights," or, "Oh, I can't do days," you're really limiting your experiences. And you don't want to do that because you become a nurse by your experiences. And so, see which ones you can get.

Host: Right. What would you say is the most rewarding thing about being a nurse?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: For me, it's the patient connections. I've always been in critical care. And so, you know, sometimes those connections are seeing someone get to go home after a really hard path, and sometimes those are holding hands at end of life. But I think every connection you make with patients or family, that's why we do this work, and that's what's most meaningful to me.

Host: Is critical care ICU basically?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: it's ICU, there's a progressive care, ED is critical care. It's just dealing with those patients who are on the more acute side of their illnesses.

Host: In closing, is there anything else you'd like to add?

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: I would just encourage our Mount Carmel College of Nursing students to really consider Mount Carmel. Our mission and culture is really strong here, and you see it in all the work that we do. So, get those clinical experiences, make those connections. If you're at a clinical, meet the manager, ask the nurses what they think of working on that unit. becoming a nurse is so exciting because you can do so many things. So, see which one feels like the right fit and meet those people who do that.

Host: Right. I bet every day is different, right? You never get bored.

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Oh, absolutely. And there's so many different roles and ways to be a nurse that I think really meeting as many people you can and seeing what about nursing gets you excited and finding the right place for yourself is such a special thing you can do as a nurse.

Host: Well, thank you so much for sharing your expertise. This has been so informative, and we really appreciate your time because we know you're busy.

Toni Caruso, MBA, BSN, RN: Oh. Well, thanks for speaking with me. I love working with new graduate nurses. It's one of the things that is important to our unit. So, I like getting a chance to talk to future nurses.

Host: Great. Thank you again. That's Toni Caruso. If you'd like to find out more, please visit mccn.edu. That's mccn.edu. Thanks for listening to Careers in Care, a Mount Carmel College of Nursing podcast.