courses, even prerequisites, in an a two-question form: What is your
interactive, online learning environ- background? And why do you want
ment. Students can complete their to be a mentor?”
degree in as little as 13 months while Professional and personal growth
continuing to juggle work and fami- are both key to a good mentor pro-
ly life. gram. A strong mentor will not only
“I never imagined being able to help a new nurse become accus-
manage work, family and school, tomed to hospital policies but might
but FIU’s online RN to BSN track also suggest a good place to purchase
has enabled me to do just that,” said nursing scrubs in the area. A sea-
Sakrani. “Earning my BSN will not soned nurse can give advice to a new
only improve my skills, income and nurse on how to find a good work-
career mobility, but will also help life balance in a profession that can
prepare me for today’s challenges in sometimes feel overwhelming.
health care.” “Being a part of the New Hanover mentor program has
To learn more about the RN to BSN Program at the Uni- really given me a chance to be a role model for nurses new to
versity of Texas at Arlington School of Nursing, visit the profession,” said Saullo. “There is a lot you don’t learn in
http://uta.academicpartnership.com/nursing.asp. nursing school about everyday patient care, and it takes
For information on Florida International University’s RN some time to adjust to the fast-paced hospital atmosphere.
to BSN program, visit http://cnhs.fiu.edu/nursing/pro- I’m happy to help those new to the field any way I can!”
grams.html. To learn more about New Hanover Regional Medical Cen-
For an extensive list of nursing programs and scholar- ter’s nurse mentor program, visit www.nhhn.org. To learn
ships within the United States, visit http://discovernurs- more about how you can become a nurse mentor, visit
ing.com/program-search. www.campaignfornursing.com. PWM
Guiding the Way: Nurse Mentor Programs Aim
to Improve Retention
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for nurses to leave the
We’re here for
them
profession after their first year. That is in part why hospitals
across the country are creating formal mentor programs that
and for you.
pair first-year and newly hired nurses with hospital veterans.
New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington,
Dedicated to improving the lives of
patients and their families throughout the
N.C., launched a nurse mentor program in June 2000 with 49
world, Talecris Biotherapeutics also has
nurses who together held nearly nine centuries worth of
a strong commitment to its employees. A
nursing experience. In its first year, the mentor program met
culture of teamwork, recognition, respect
and integrity has enabled us to become
its goal of recruiting new nurses and improving the nurse
one of the world’s foremost providers of
retention rate, which increased from 66 percent to 92 percent.
premium protein therapies.
Nurse mentoring usually involves pairing an experienced
Openings are available at our corporate
nurse with a newly hired nurse. A mentor can offer advice,
headquarters in Research Triangle
counsel and guidance for new nurses just beginning their
Park, North Carolina, and facilities
in Clayton and Raleigh, NC in a wide
careers, helping them to transition from the classroom to the
variety of areas, including:
bedside. Some programs began by focusing on nurses fresh
• Research & Development • QA/Compliance
out of school, but many have expanded to include all new
employees, including nurses who are returning after being
• Manufacturing/Engineering • Sales & Marketing
away and nurses who have worked in other hospitals. • Regulatory Affairs • Finance
“At first we went to great lengths to have mentees and
Talecris offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including 401(k)
mentors fill out in-depth personality profiles so we could with company match, performance bonus and profit sharing potential and
connect nurses based on their personal interests,” said Diane
a generous tuition reimbursement program. EOE M/F/D/V committed
to enhancing and manufacturing cultural diversity within our work
Saullo, RN, MSN, BC and manager of professional develop-
environment.
ment at New Hanover. “But it was becoming too hard to
match nurses up perfectly, and we found that the most
www.talecris.com
important factor was being on the same shift. So, we made it
www.professionalwomanmag.com PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 53
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