For a nursing school graduate, the prospect of becoming a working nurse can feel daunting. When Schae Chesser, BSN, finished nursing school, the Baylor Scott & White Nurse Residency Program seemed like the perfect start to her career.
“Just coming out of nursing school, this program was a great transition,” Chesser said. “Nursing school courses prepare you, but not for all the other things that come with being a brand-new nurse. It was just a great support system for me.”
Meeting nurses and staff from all areas of the hospital was helpful, Chesser said, as well as understanding services and programs available for patient care that can differ from hospital to hospital.
For example, Chesser learned how to use a language translation service available at her hospital to help communicate with patient families who did not speak English.
“I hadn’t taken care of a patient who didn’t speak English and now, using that, I learned how I can work closely with that family to provide the same quality of care I would any of my families,” she said.
Through the residency program, Chesser also was exposed to nursing opportunities in a variety of departments. “We even have nurses who work in the informatics department—I didn’t even know that was a thing!”
Five years after graduating from the program, Chesser has recently become a charge nurse and is learning the leadership side of nursing. Comparing the start of her career with those of her nursing school friends, who hired on to different healthcare organizations, Chesser is grateful.
“I can definitely tell that Baylor Scott & White is totally different than anywhere else in its commitment to its nurses and patients,” she said. “I love my job.”
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