Scotland Memorial Hospital
Grows Their Own Nurses
Laurinburg, NC- While other hospitals
are struggling with a nursing
shortage. Scotland Memorial HospitaUs-addressing
the issue w ith a program
that is both aggressive and innovative.
Called the New Graduate
Internship Program, it offers new
graduate nurses the opportunity to intern
for three months, rotating through
the different departments of the hospital,
learning and gaining experience
while paired with a preceptor,
"We actively and aggressively recruit
new nurses through recruitment
fairs and functions and then "grow"
our own nurses." said Lee Anne
Russell, RN. the hospital's clinical
educator. "We're taking brand new
nurses and training them from the
ground up. We take the extra time and
money and expend the effort to ensure
these nurses have a comfortable,
safe environment in which to leam the
basics of nursing practice. Instead of
allowing them to practice two weeks
out of nursing school like some hospitals
do. we make sure they have an
optimal environment for learning. It
generally takes about two years for a
new graduate to develop from the
novice to the competent stage."
The current group of 15 new graduate
registered nurses started their internship
July 30 and will finish the
program on November 10. They are:
Angela Smith, Parkton; Veronica
Revels. Pembroke; Felisa B. Lambert,
Maxton; Jo D. Hewitt. Laurinburg;
Angela Moore, Bennetsville; Ruth
Ross-Young, Lumberton; Lisa
Knight-lvey, Laurinburg; Cumissie
Locklear, Antioch; Amy Hill,
Rockingham; Stephanie Wilkes.
Hamlet; Amy Avant, Hamlet; Radella
Locklear, Pembroke; Selena Graham
Brayboy, Rowland; Michelle Morgan,
Laurinburg; and Jennifer
Coughenhour, Laurinburg.
This group of registered nurses
(RNs) is made up from nursing
schools from Richmond Community
College, Sandhills Community College,
Robeson Community College,
and the Medical University of South
Carolina. Most ofthese graduates are
local; although some are from outside
the Laurinburg area. All have
taken and passed their board certifications.
"We receive these new nurses and
immediately put them through three
weeks of class and instruction on
EKG rhythm interpretation, an 8hour
IV class with practicum, blood
draw techniques, and policies & pro.
cedures," continued Ms. Russell.
"They orient in physical therapy, respiratory
therapy, outpatient surgery,
and-the laboratoos and then rotate
through the hospital to observe and
perform the different procedures
which they are licensed to perform.
They have the opportunity to meet
hospital personnel and observe how
the hospital works as a cohesive
whole. By the time they begin their
clinical rotations they have already
been all over the hospital spending
time with hospital staff and observ
ing how the departments work with
nursing so that they have a more complete
picture of patient care." At the
end of the three-week class instruction
the nurses select their three clinical
rotations of four weeks each from
Amethyst. ICU. Pediatrics. Women's
Services. Progressive Medical Care.
Emergency Center. Surgical Services.
Urgent Care and the Edwin Morgan
Center.
The new graduate nurses do not
practice nursing independently during
their internship period of three
months. Their assigned preceptor is
with them each step of The way. The
graduates are evaluated daily and establish
weekly goals with their preceptor.
"Precepting is a time-consuming
responsibility." stated Ms.
Russell. "Our preceptors must meet
our stringent criteria and attend preceptor
classes and monthly preceptor
meetings. Theirrole isa'challenging
one. Nursing is a demanding role
and these preceptors are not forgotten
once they have completed their
and the Medical University of South
Carolina. Most of these graduates are
local; although some are from outside
the Laurinburg area. All have
taken and passed their board certifications.
"We receive these new nurses and
immediately put them through three
weeks of class and instruction on
EKG rhythm interpretation, an 8hour
IV class with practicum, blood
draw techniques, and policies & procedures."
continued Ms. Russell.
"They orient in physical therapy, respiratory
therapy, outpatient surgery.
an4-thelaboratory, and then rotate
through the hospital to observe and
perform the different procedures
which they are licensed to perform.
They have the opportunity to meet
hospital personnel and observe how
the hospital works as a cohesive
whole. By the time they begin their
clinical rotations they have already
been all over the hospital spending
time with hospital staff and observing
how the departments work with
nursing so that they have a more complete
picture of patient care." At the
end of the three-week class instruction
the nurses select their three clinical
rotations of four weeks each from
Amethyst, ICU, Pediatrics, Women's
Services, Progressive Medical Care,
Emergency Center, Surgical Services,
Urgent Care and the Edwin Morgan
Center.
The new graduate nurses do not
practice nursing independently during
their internship period of three
months. Their assigned preceptor is
with them each step of The way. The
graduates are evaluated daily and establish
weekly goals with their preceptor.
"Precepting is a time-consuming
responsibility," stated Ms.
Russell. "Our preceptors must meet
our stringent criteria and attend preceptor
classes and monthly preceptor
meetings. Their role is a challenging
one. Nursing is a demanding role
and these preceptors are not forgot
ten once they have completed their
duties, as they are honored guests
during an award luncheon at the end
of their program. The highlight of the
luncheoD is the recognition the preceptors
receive from their new graduates.
"We encourage the graduates to
stand up and comment about their preceptors,"
said Ms. Russell. "The preceptors
find it extremely gratifying to
be publicly
thanked for their time and effort." Preceptors
also are compensated by the
hospital through the preceptor award
program.
Scotland Memorial's patients share
in the ad vantages of therjesvigiaduate
program. During the internship the
new nurse and his or her preceptor
share the patient load. They do not
have separate patients. Therefore,
each patient receives care from not
just one but two nurses.
Once new graduate interns complete
their internship and are hired into
a specific department, they go through
another orientation specific to that department.
They could easily end up
in orientation for a total of six to ten
months, depending on the department.
Stephanie Wilkes, RN, of Hamlet,
is one of the 13 nurses currently completing
the internship program. "This
program is wonderful," commented
Stephanie. "I've gotten to know a lot
of people in a lot of departments here
at Scotland Memorial. This has
helped me tremendously since even
though I won't work in departments
such as Imaging or the Laboratory,
I've had the chance to see how the
nurse's work interacts with these ancillary
departments. Everyone has
been so helpful. If 1 needed an answer
to a question or help with a problem,
they were all there for me. If they
didn't know the answer, they found it
for me. 1 learned about the internship
program while enrolled in the nursing
program at Richmond Community
College and am very pleased to be
working at Scotland Memorial Hospital.
I turned down offers from two
other hospitals to work here. The program
is the reason for that decision
and after being here 1 know 1 made
the right one."
New graduates will be mentored foi
an entire year after their internship
ends. The goal is to match a graduate
with a buddy or mentor. That will be
with a nurse who has been out ol
school a relatively shorter time than
some of the "old timers". "Graduates
are not matched with a nurse who has
20 years of experience but rather with
the newer nurses because they can still
remember what it's like to be a brand
new graduato and identify with the
problems and issues particular to the
new nurse," stated Ms. Russell.
Real life nursing is a much different
environment from nursing school.
"We know that this internship program
helps ensure we have and keep
good nurses," said Ms.. Russell. "And
good nurses help ensure we have satisfied
and well-cared for patients,
which is our ultimate goal."
Pembroke Twilight
Christmas Parade
Pembroke Twilight Christmas Parade
sponsored by the Town of
Pembroke, the Pembroke Chamber of
Commerce, and the Pembroke Civic
Club is planned for Thursday. December
13,2001. Line uptimeat3:30
p.m. and the parade will begin at 4:30
p.m. The parade line up area will be
at the UNCP Pembroke Performing
Arts Center and end at the Pembroke
Elementary School. Criteria for the
parade includes Marching Units,
Bands, Queens, Floats, and the special
attraction will be the Robeson
County Sudan Tomcats Funny Cars
and the main attraction will be Santa
United Methodist Woman Present
the Annual Christmas Bazaar.
Pembroke First United Methodist Church on HWY 711, next to the Pembroke
Town Park, will hold it's annual Christmas Bazaar on November 16th,
starting at 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and also November 17th from 8:00
A.M. until 1:00 P.M. There will be crafts and bake goods for sale. Come and
see.
All are welcome.
Nylon was first introduced to the public in 1938. Research
chemists made this elastic material by combining water, air, and a byproduct
of coal.
r sfi I
MARKETING GROUP
Long Distance Service
5.9 cents per minute state-to-state
: 6-second billing
24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week
Save up to 50% or more on every long
distance call!
All day, Every Day!
Residential or Commercial!
Great in-state rates!
Toll free numbers 5.9 cents!
Special International Rates!
No long term commitment!
No enrollment fee!
No Minimum usage!
World Wide travel card!
Your SFI Referrer is:
JOHN BRAYBOY
?
www.ezinfocenter.com/449668/LD . .
Johbrayb@aol.com
Along the Robeson Trail
By Dr. Stan Knick, Director-UNCP Native American Resource Center
trvote: i nts segment was co-authored
by Dr. Linda E.Oxendine. Along with
the last six segments and the next
segment, it will soon be published as a
chapter in Native American Studies in
Higher Education: Models for
Collaboration between Universities
and Indigenous Nations, edited by
Duane Champagne and Jay Stauss.)
Six weeks ago we began a series
which looks at the history of American
Indian Studies at the University of
North Carolina at Pembroke. This is
part seven of the series.
In addition to the general
education courses required for all
students at the University, students
who receive the baccalaureate degree
in American Indian Studies are
required to complete AIS 210, 213,
220, 360, 395, 405 and 427. They
must also take two courses from among
AIS 302,324,325,401,450 or 460, as
well as three more elective courses in
the Department. Students who minor
in American Indian Studies are
required to take AIS 210 plus six
additional courses from the
Department's offerings. The academic
concentration in American Indian
Studies (designed for education
majors) consists of any eight courses
from the Department's offerings.
There are several reasons why the
American Indian Studies program at
the University of North Carolina at
Pembroke is unique. First, it is one of
only two programs east of the
Mississippi to offer a degree in the
Held. Second, rather than having a
specific tribal focus, American Indian
Studies courses allow students to study
the history and culture of many tribal
communities. Third, the curriculum is
broad based; in order to obtain a
degree in American Indian Studies a
student must take courses including
American Indian history, art,
literature, prehistory, religion and
contemporary issues. Fourth, the
University of North Carolina at
Pembroke is located in ihp middle of
the Lumbee community ? a situation
which provides students and faculty
direct access to tribal resources that
otherwise would not be available.
American Indian Studies also has
the commitment of the University
administration to the growth and
strength of the department. In the
early years when enrollment numbers
did not particularly warrant such a
specialized program, the Universityof
North Carolina at Pembroke
recognized the importance of
maintaining and supporting the growth
and development of American Indian
Studies.
Along with the strengths,
however, come many challenges.
There is a need for the department to
move beyond its dependence on
particular faculty (who may come and
go) to a dependence on permanent
positions. Because of the
interdisciplinary nature of the
program, other departments must see
and support the importance of
including American Indian Studies hs
an integral part of their curriculum.
More funds are needed for faculty
development in areas of research,
publication and travel to conferences
and seminars. There is also a need for
more extended outreach through
promotion of both the department and
the major.
With the present number of
faculty positions, there is little room
for program expansion. If new areas
are to be developed, resources must be
made available for additional faculty
positions. Despite these limitations,
however, the American Indian Studies
Department continues its commitment
to ensuring a quality academic
program which enhances the
knowledge and skills of students
during their time at the University of
North Carolina at Pembroke and
which prepares them for professional
and scholarly careers after graduation.
Next week we will complete our
look at the history of American Indian
Studies at UNC Pembroke. For more
information, visit the Native
American Resource Center in historic
Old Main Building, on the campus of
The University of North Carolina at
Pembroke (our Internet address is
www.uncp.edu/nativemuseum).
Attention ~ ^^3
Diabetic Patients^^#
i If yeu have Medicare or ^^PF|\j^r
j Private insurance,
i You may be eligible A#/%;
! to receive your
.^gj^Cosf To
Free 1-888-466-2678 i
Diabetic Supply Program j
(no HMO patients, please.)
Christmas Bazaar
planned by Sandy
Plains UMYF
PEMBROKE- The Sandy Plains
United Methodist Church UMYF will
hold its Christmas Bazaar on Thanksgiving
Day, November 22, from 4-9
p.m. in the church fellowship hall. A
variety of Christmas tree ornaments
and other gifts will be available for
sale.
Sandy Plains UNC is located at
2468 Union Chapel Road, 2.5 miles
north of Pembroke.
NORTH CAROLINA
Wmam
H
AMERICAN INDIAN
HERITAGE CELEBRATION ?
Saturday, November 17
11 to 4, FREE
Enjoy an exciting day of activities,
crafts, music, performances, and food.
NORTH CAROLINA
MUSfUM Of HISTORY
N*nh Cv*Knt
totfUrt AfHtn
' arte ?TARGET