The Emergency Medicine Update Conference is sponsored by the Fletcher Allen Emergency Department in conjunction with the University of Vermont Continuing Medical Education. The Conference is held each winter in Stowe, Vermont and includes lectures by UVM Attendings on a variety of current EM topics. This program is open to all emergency medicine professionals including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, trauma nurses, residents and emergency medicine technicians.

Fletcher Allen Health Care’s

Emergency Nurse Internship Pilot Program

2005-2006
Purpose:

This 20-week internship program is designed to provide new nurses with the knowledge, skills and ability to work as an entry-level emergency nurse.

Objectives:

The objectives of the Emergency Nurse Internship Program are two-fold:

• Develop a basic emergency nursing knowledge base, which contributes to safe, entry-level nursing care.
• Demonstrate a professional aptitude and an ability to safely implement and organize patient care in the emergency setting.

Internship Program:
• SIX -WEEK CLINICAL TRANSITION FOR NEW GRADS:  This transition experience is prior to the start of the 20 week internship in the Emergency Department.  It provides an opportunity for new graduates to follow a defined pathway integrating skills, concepts and competencies essential for nursing practice at FAHC.  This experience will take place on a Medical/Surgical unit at FAHC.  The new graduates will work with a faculty member on the floor and follow the pathway outlined.  The start date for this will be the week following Hospital and Central Nursing Orientation. 
• CLASSROOM:  Current concepts in emergency nursing as they apply to the entry- level emergency nursing will be presented in a core theory course.  The course will follow the Emergency Nurses Association program entitled:  “Orientation to Emergency Nursing: Concepts, Competencies, and Critical Thinking- 2nd Edition.”

 
Emergency Nurse Internship Program
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• DIRECT PATIENT CARE:  Direct patient care experiences are designed to provide the nurse intern with opportunities to apply core theory and acquire the skills necessary skills to implement competent, direct care.   The nurse intern will be under the direct supervision of a RN preceptor.  The nurse intern and preceptor will meet on a weekly basis to develop learning goals and objectives, and review progress to date.  The nurse intern may have more than one preceptor during this program due to the availability and schedules of preceptors.

• INTERNSHIP CONFERENCES:  The nurse intern will meet with the nurse educator every other week during the program to discuss the week’s events and identify goals and objectives.

Assessment:

• Self-Learning Modules

The nurse intern will be required to successfully complete 30 self-learning modules in the program.  Each module contains instructional strategies, performance criteria and an evaluation component.

• Direct Patient Care

The nurse intern will be required to provide direct patient care in the emergency setting.  She/he will also be required to complete a number of emergency nursing competencies during the internship experience.

Commitment:

The nurse intern will be scheduled to work 80 hours per pay period during the internship program.  Each intern will be assigned a shift during the internship experience.  This shift will be based upon the preceptor’s schedule.  It will not necessarily be the shift the intern is assigned to upon completion of the program.   Upon successful completion of the program, the nurse will be required to complete 2 years of full-time (80 hours per pay period) employment with FAHC.