There’s a lot of up-front work to do when it comes to pursuing a nursing career in the US. This ranges from gaining the right qualifications in line with the country’s standards, obtaining theory and clinical experience, and, crucially, securing the appropriate visa that allows you entry and permission to work.
With so much emphasis on the process of getting there, it can be easy to neglect the importance of being prepared for the reality of starting your first shift in the US. That’s why Conexus Medstaff has developed a training course for nurses that provides a comprehensive introduction to the US healthcare industry, the regulations that govern healthcare and nursing, as well as the expectations of the role of the RN in America.
The US Ready set-up
Even better, all participants in this course will spend time with Leanne Howell, our clinical training coordinator,and US Ready course designer. Leanne has worked as an RN since 2003, working in a variety of disciplines including oncology, surgery, and advisory capacities.
Having dedicated herself to continuous professional development in the nursing field, Leanne joined Conexus in 2018 and has designed the course herself. That means you’ll have direct access to someone who not only knows the course material but the experience to match.
Leanne is to be supported by more clinical nurse educators in time - stay tuned to this space for more.
Knowledge + access that unlocks your potential
The Conexus Medstaff US Ready training program is made up of six modules and assessments. Before we get to them, we’d like to mention one great ancillary benefit of taking part in US Ready: exclusive access to our database.
US Ready is delivered in conjunction with free access to a database of nursing and healthcare journals and articles. This vast directory includes literature reviews, professional expert opinions, and first-hand clinical trials on a vast range of nursing and healthcare topics. You’d expect to pay up to $4,500 annually to have access to this bank of nursing resources. By signing up for the US Ready training program, you’ll get it for free.
Now, for a look at the six modules of the Conexus Medstaff US Ready training program.
1. Nursing in the US
You’ll find out more about the boards that govern the US nursing profession and its Code of Ethics. Additionally, you’ll get to grips with how nursing differs in the US, including:
Healthcare system regulations;
Insurance structure;
Types of treatment facilities;
Typical nursing team structures and chains of command;
Allocation of resources.
2. Patient Safety
Next, you’ll explore the USA’s National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) in detail, along with OSHA health & safety standards and the challenges associated with these. You’ll also learn more about:
Situational awareness;
The critical safeguarding of medical information;
Hospital policies and procedures;
The Joint Commission's "Do Not Use" Abbreviations List;
“Just Culture” of reporting safety incidents and hazardous conditions;
Staff burnout - how it can be prevented, self-care and the importance it plays in eliminating errors.
3. Quality Improvement
In this module, you’ll find out what’s meant by Quality Improvement, and what’s required of you to deliver the best healthcare services and improve the patient experience. You’ll look at:
The attributes that go into quality care;
Measuring patient satisfaction;
Quality Assurance: in essence, the inspection and compliance with standards;
Assessing organizational readiness for change and assessing project readiness;
Any special considerations, including laws, policies, budget, and staffing.
4. Health Care Relations
Here, you’ll examine how building effective relationships with staff, patients and families are required to protect people and keep them safe. This includes more detailed information about the chain of command in hospitals and conflict resolution.
Interdisciplinary team
This part analyses the roles of your team members, effective modes of communication and knowledge-sharing, and what to do if you see or experience lateral violence.
Patients and families
This breaks down your responsibilities for keeping patients safe, building the right relationships, plus how to address matters like informed consent, post-discharge care, and more.
5. Communication
You’ll learn about the different types of communication in the US healthcare workplace, including verbal, non-verbal and written, as well as the benefits and challenges associated with each. We’ll also discuss communication techniques, such as
SBAR (which stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) and;
CUS (Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety issue).
6. Health I.T, and Nursing Informatics
In this module, you’ll learn the definition of informatics and the benefits of improved access to information. You’ll also cover:
How healthcare can connect with technology aids;
Training and the role of the Nursing Informatics Specialist;
The role of clinical decision support systems and regulations surrounding these;
Changing the point of care anywhere;
The challenges that arise from electronic documentation.
Download: Getting US Ready
Living and working in the USA is a common dream shared by many from around the world. The good news is that it is within reach, especially if you are a registered nurse!
To get things started, register with Conexus Medstaff’s cost-effective international nurse recruitment team. And be sure to learn about our Training Program in our free Conexus Medstaff guide, Getting US Ready. It offers insights on a wealth of aspects in US nursing to understand before you start your role.
Being prepared is crucial when it comes to future career happiness and success. There’s a lot to learn, which is why our dedicated team of experts are on-hand to guide our nurses through this challenging but exciting journey to working in the US.
To find out more be sure to contact your local Conexus Medstaff team