Acute Psychiatric
Registered Nurses, Licensed Psychiatric Technicians (LPT), and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) require at least one-year of acute care or emergency psychiatric care prior to being hired. Nursing Attendants (NA) require experience in the care of the seriously mentally ill patient. The psychiatric general nursing orientation consists of a three and half day program and 20-24 days of clinical inpatient and emergency orientation for Psychiatric Nurse I and IIs, 16 days for LPT/LVNs and 15 for NAs. An additional didactic course focusing on the care of seriously mentally ill patients, psychiatric medications and mental assessment exams are added if needed. A Clinical Partner is assigned to each employee.
The Psychiatric Staff Developer's primary role is the didactic psychiatric education, orientation competencies and assisting the Nurse Manager, Shift Supervisor and Assistant Nurse Manager in the unit competency process, and any remediation if necessary. The Staff Developer provides annual / bi-annual competencies and testing for all employees in both the annual mandated assault crisis training courses and at the unit level. The annual mandated course is updated annually to meet the needs and trends of the Department.
Adult Critical Care Division
The nurse is specially trained for their particular unit. Orientation consists of a 12-week program, which includes three weeks of didactic classes interspersed with clinical orientation. A Clinical Partner is assigned to each orientee. The Critical Care Staff Developers follow the progress of each orientee with frequent meetings that include the Clinical Partner and Assistant Nurse Manager when possible. Staff competencies are evaluated and tested on a regular basis. A three-tier program helps nurses advance their understanding of critical care practice. At the expert level, nurses learn more advanced concepts of the most critical practices.
Labor and Delivery
Orientation for the nurse without previous Labor and Delivery Unit (L&D) experience consists of a 12-16 week clinical orientation program, which includes an initial two days of didactic classes focusing on the labor process and an overview of fetal monitoring. At approximately week five, an eight-hour Basic EFM class is provided. At approximately week eight, an eight-hour High Risk OB class is provided. A Clinical Partner is assigned to each orientee. The L&D Staff Developer follows the progress of each orientee with regular meetings that include the orientee, the Clinical Partner and, when possible, the Assistant Nurse Manager.
Orientation for the experienced L&D nurse consists of two to four weeks of clinical orientation. The length of orientation varies and is dependant on the nurse's previous level of experience. A Clinical Partner is assigned to each orientee. The L&D Staff Developer follows the progress of each orientee and meets with the orientee, the Clinical Partner and, when possible, the Assistant Nurse Manager at the end of orientation.
Maternal-Infant Care Center
The RN is trained to care for mother/baby couplets and ante partum patients. Orientation consists of a four to six week program, depending on the clinical experience of the nurse. A Clinical Partner is assigned to each nurse, and the orientation is completed on the shift the nurse will be working. The MICC Staff Developer meets initially with each orientee, developing goals for the orientation and providing an overview of the unit. In order to assess progress of the orientee, regular meetings with the Assistant Nurse Manager, Clinical Partner, and orientee are held throughout the orientation process.
Classes on Electronic Fetal Monitoring, CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation are provided. Annual skills checks are used for evaluating staff competencies. Nurses advance on a clinical ladder series and are expected to participate in committees, projects, and precepting of student nurses and new hire nurses. At the expert (and near-expert) level, nurses are expected to care for high-risk ante partum patients and to advance their skills through classes and continuing education.
Medical / Surgical Department
The RN in the Medical/Surgical division is trained to care for patients with simple to complex medical and / or surgical conditions. Depending on the nurse's experience, the orientation program is geared towards meeting the individual's needs to provide safe care and towards the attainment of good patient outcome. The Hospital Standard Policy and Procedure, which applies the principles of the Professional Role, are followed. As is compliance with the BRN Scope of Nursing Practice, section 2725.
A New-Grad or Re-Entry nurse will have a total of 12 weeks orientation. This orientation program consists of nine (9) days of didactic-classroom type presentations. Knowledge learned from the classroom is incorporated and reinforced in the clinical area by the Clinical Partner. Regular meetings are scheduled with the Nurse Manager, ANM, Clinical Partner and/or Staff Developer to follow-up on the orientee's progress, identify needs, and provide recommendations to facilitate attainment of the goals set with the orientee. RN's are also required to attend other mandatory and on-going classes to provide them with knowledge and skills necessary to be able to provide safe care to specific patient populations where the RN is assigned (i.e., Chemotherapy, Epidural, CAPD, Telemetry, Orthopedic, MICC, or Vascular Care.) The goal is for every nurse to succeed.
Operating Room Services
Operating Room Services consists of three separate units encompassing the perioperative process where an individualized orientation plan by unit is created for each nurse. Orientation length is dependent on unit placement, previous experience and progression through unit competencies, and orientation objectives. The orientee is matched with an expert Clinical Partner for each phase of his/her orientation. The OR Services Staff Developer works closely with the orientee, Clinical Partner, and Assistant Nurse Managers to evaluate the orientee's skills and competencies on a regular basis.
Pediatrics / PICU
The nurse is specially trained in the care of infants and children. Orientation consists of an eight to 12 week program. A Clinical Partner is assigned to work with each orientee on clinical development. Clinical Partners are highly professional and experienced mentors who role model professional pediatric or PICU RN behaviors. The Staff Developer follows the progress of each orientee with frequent meetings that include the Clinical Partner and Assistant Nurse Manager when possible.
Staff competencies are evaluated and tested on a regular basis with services given periodically for new equipment and standards. In addition, all Pediatric or Pediatric Intensive Care Unit new hires attend the on-site Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider class within six months of orientation. At the expert level, nurses learn more advanced concepts of the most critical practice and continue professional development by advancing to charge and/or resource nurse.
Rehabilitation Nursing
The nursing orientation for the Rehabilitation Center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center consists of a 40-day unit specific orientation. Every new hire is paired with a Clinical Partner with advanced experience of the area of practice. 96 hours of lecture, specific to the type of rehabilitation nursing practice, is provided in the following areas: Traumatic Brain Injury Unit, Stroke Unit, Spinal Cord Injury Unit, and the Rehab Trauma Unit.
Each orientation is structured around the new hire's experience and skill base. The unit specific orientation lasts approximately 30-40 days, and then the orientee has the opportunity to orient in the like areas within Rehab. This orientation is then followed by a Medical Surgical orientation lasting several days. This provides a wide base of knowledge to make the orientee comfortable and competent to function in any of the rehabilitation areas. A clinical and evidence based packet is presented to each orientee to guide them through their orientation. The orientee is evaluated daily, weekly and monthly by the appointed Clinical Partner, Staff Educator, and Assistant Nurse Manager.
Custody Health Services
The nurse is specially trained for his or her particular unit. Training consists of clinical orientation in the unit as well as participation in Annual Review Day. The unit's Clinical Partners help facilitate the new staff's clinical orientation. The Staff Developer, Nurse Manager, and Clinical Partners follow the progress of each orientee. Staff competencies are evaluated and tested on a regular basis.
The staff participate yearly in Annual Review Day which is composed of classes and topics related to nursing assessment, safety, suicide prevention, as well as CPR retraining yearly. Allied departments such as Probation, Social Services, and Mental Health also participate in providing staff with training.
Ambulatory Care Nursing Orientation
Information will be available soon
General Nursing Orientation
Information will be available soon.
Students/New Graduates
Information will be available soon.