Authors (including presenting author) :
Or KM(1) , Lam YY(1) , Chang ST(1) , Ma HYI(1) , Wong KK(1), Lo HK(1), Chui LY(1), Wong KY(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Surgery, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
Fresh graduate nurses often encounter several challenges when they transit from academic settings to the workforce. They find difficulties in clinical skills application and lack of critical thinking in managing cases. To address these challenges, a modified surgical orientation program for 2024 fresh graduate nurses was initiated.
Objectives :
1. To consolidate fundamental clinical skills via different practical skill workshops.
2. To enhance surgical knowledge and case management techniques
3. To boost up their confidence of transitioning to be a competent nurse
Methodology :
The surgical orientation program consists of four components.
1. New Staff Competency Checklist
- To assess new staff competency in performing surgical procedures
- Categorized the procedures into 3 groups: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced
2. Surgical Pre-RN TUNS program
- A 4-day training program for Pre-RN TUNS held by teaching team
- To familiarize with procedures and workflow according to competency checklist
- To practice as a runner nurse in ward
3. Surgical Orientation Program for the Fresh Graduated Nursing Staff (P1)
- A 4-day training program held by teaching team
- To introduce surgical department, operation and workflow
- To demonstrate common surgical procedures and preparation in ward
- To enrich their surgical specialty knowledge and related nursing care from lectures by surgical specialty nurses
4. Surgical P1 competition
- A 2-hour quiz contest
- Dividing the candidates into 4 groups according to their parent ward
- Competition format: compulsory and quick response part
- Questions about medication safety, procedure preparation, situation management and nursing care
Result & Outcome :
Total 14 preceptors joined the program and evaluations were performed at the end of two training programs and competition, and a pre-post test was done. All participants agreed that training programs facilitated their role transition from student to nurse, consolidated their fundamental clinical skills, and familiarized with daily ward routine and setting. The pre-post test’s result demonstrated the improvement of their knowledge in common surgical procedures.
Regarding surgical P1 competition, over 90 % participants agreed that competition consolidated their knowledge learnt in the orientation program and increased their sense of belonging to their parent wards. They also recommended keeping it in the future surgical orientation program.
Since 20% of participants found the lectures of surgical specialties were difficult for them as a fresh graduate nurse. In the future, the content of lectures will be adjusted to suit the participants’ level and will consider to postpone these lectures to 1 month after the orientation program to facilitate their learning when they have more clinical experience.
