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Olushola and Melissa MacInnis are both registered nurses (RN) at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital (CBRH) emergency department (ED). Before they started working as RNs, they worked in the department as undergraduate student nurses (USN), gaining important skills, experience and confidence.
Stephanie O’Neill, health services manager at the CBRH ED, explained the USN role. “USNs are student nurses obtaining their RN. The program is eight terms. After term five, once students have completed 440 clinical hours, they are eligible to apply for a USN position. They get assigned to a team member on arrival. Their individual scope determines the scope that they work to while they’re here as a USN.”
“You’re never by yourself,” explained MacInnis. “You started by taking one patient and if you felt more comfortable, you’d take two.”
Olushola felt this same level of support. “When a patient came in, I’d do a quick assessment. The supervising nurse would watch and provide feedback.” Olushola noted that as a USN, he would focus on lower-acuity cases, while having the opportunity to observe and ask questions as RNs provided care to patients with more acute needs.
Perhaps the most impactful benefit of working as a USN was the increase in confidence for both Olushola and MacInnis, which served them well as they prepared to transition to the role of RN.
“It really prepared me and gave me a lot of confidence,” said Olushola. He shared that when it came to moving into the RN role, the anxiety of starting a new job was eliminated, a sentiment MacInnis also expressed.
“You get to know the department and the flow and how everything works, and you’ve built relationships,” said MacInnis. “Having all that experience is so beneficial.” It also helped solidify her choice to work in an emergency setting. “You get to see the whole thing for what it is, and ask, Do I like this? Do I not like this? You get to make that decision.”
As manager, O’Neill said, “I came to see how valuable the role was. USNs are an additional pair of hands, and they build competency as they go. We see them grow throughout.”
Eight new USNs began working at the CBRH ED in September. O’Neill said having USNs benefits everyone. “They’re experiencing lots of things they don’t get to see as part of their clinical placements. Existing staff are super welcoming to them – USNs are part of the team.”
Photo of Stephanie O’Neill, health services manager at the CBRH ED, and Melissa MacInnis, RN at CBRH.
We are seeking Undergraduate Student Nurses who have completed a minimum of 440 clinical hours and are scheduled to graduate after January 2025.
Learn more and apply at https://jobs.nshealth.ca/job-invite/188765/