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Bayhealth Graduates Nurses from Emergency and Trauma Center Fellowship

September 20, 2017

The Bayhealth Emergency and Trauma Center recently celebrated the graduation of four nurses from their fellowship program.

The 20-week fellowship is offered twice a year to recent nurse graduates, who are selected after an intensive interview process. The fellowship includes didactic and clinical time, which expands the nurse’s knowledge, preparing them to treat our communities’ emergency needs.

Nurse Jason Wallace, ADN, said the fellowship prepared him to work independently and reinforced the importance of critical thinking skills when it comes to patient care. Even though fellow graduate Donna Kelley, ADN, RN, had experience working in emergency medical services, she said the fellowship gave her insight into situations she had only heard about. For Tiffany Leonard, RN, the fellowship taught her what she didn’t learn in a classroom, including what it’s like to work at a fast pace and the importance of being able to hit the ground running. “The fellowship boosted my self-confidence,” said Jena Evans, RN. “It gave me the tools and knowledge I need to be successful, and teamed us up with the right trainers, who I now look up to.”

The fellowship is something Clinical Nurse Specialist Amanda Fisher, MSN, BS, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CEN, wishes she had access to as a new nurse. “We provide as much support as we can to nurses coming out of school. There’s so much to learn in the department so the more time they spend with preceptors, the better off they’ll be,” Fisher said. It’s the preceptors – experienced nurses who help train new team members – who Fisher believes are the heroes of the program because of the invaluable knowledge they’ve gained in their time within the department.

Clinical Educator Karen Cebenka, BSN, BS, RN, CEN, agrees with Fisher, noting there’s also a camaraderie and bond among the fellows once they’ve graduated. The program works as a safe haven where anyone is free to ask anything in an effort to learn. “We’re teaching skills geared specifically toward emergency services, which is a challenge to work in. We provide leadership, support and guidance so they can be successful for the rest of their nursing career."

Other nursing fellowships offered at Bayhealth include the med-surg, critical care, inpatient rehab, and OR specialties. Visit Bayhealth.org/Careers for more information on careers at Bayhealth.

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