The nursing practice workforce in the United States is changing and projections are predicting little to no growth over the next decade. This creates challenges when trying to recruit nurses to specialized practice setting, but it becomes especially difficult when recruiting specialty areas such as in the operating room. Most baccalaureate nursing education programs have little exposure to the perioperative area. As nursing leaders collaborated, an innovative educational program was developed between a College of Nursing and a Magnet Hospital to serve as an academic-service partnership to provide a potential workforce for this practice setting. The program allows students to work in a complex and technologically advanced area, gain familiarity in the operating room culture, acquire knowledge, critical thinking skills, and gaining confidence to transition into the role of the perioperative nurse.
The internship program provides student growth opportunity to determine if the student is a good-fit for the Perioperative environment yielding institutional cost saving related to orientation. This academic-service partnership, based upon a curriculum and objectives have been replicated over the past two years with 21 students. Each student paired with an expert clinician in the operating room. Goals are clearly set forth and monitored through reflective logs and competencies. Using a rubric, evaluations were completed by the student, preceptor, and faculty member. This triad formatively evaluated the experience and formative feedback was provided throughout the semester.
This unique 200 hour Perioperative internship demonstrated the shared vision and collaborative relationship between academia and practice. A formalize relationship has been developed to meet the students’ educational needs and the practice setting needs leading to employment and admittance into an OR fellowship for graduate nurses. This program has yielded successful hiring and retention of new graduate nurses entering the Perioperative fellowship program with an approximate institutional orientation cost saving of greater than 100,000 dollars.
As partners, the college and hospital are committed to developing the potential of each student nurse to benefit the nursing profession and provide nursing excellence. There is a harmonious sharing of knowledge, a culture of trust between partners, working collaboratively to develop and implement the program in order to educate future nurses with a smooth transition in the perioperative area.