Registered Nurse Job Opportunities

Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR, Director of Nurse Recruitment

Thursday, January 28, 2010 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

Lydia Ostermeier, MSN, RN, CHCR, Clarian Director of Nurse Recruitment

Lydia became a nurse to have a challenging and rewarding career, which she has happily pursued at only Wishard Hospital and Clarian since obtaining her RN licensure.

"Nurses can make or break a patient’s hospital experience – you have to keep a smile on your face and your chin up at all times even in the most difficult of circumstances."

Lydia has previously served as a Neurosurgery ICU staff nurse, a Director of Staffing, and a Clinical Manager at University Hospital in Indianapolis.

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

A Call For Help

Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Gwenn Christianson, MSN, RN, CSPI

I just finished a 12-hour shift. Maybe it’s the cold, cold weather, maybe it’s the post-holiday let-down, maybe it’s the phase of the moon… but there were an unusual amount of suicide attempts for the day shift today. Most intentional ingestions happen on evenings and nights.

(All details below changed to protect confidentiality.)

I talked to two concerned moms with distraught daughters. One was a 13-year old girl who took 10 Ibuprofen after her boyfriend broke up with her. The other was a 24-year old lady with a history of bipolar disorder and post-partum depression who took a double-dose of her Elavil®, “but wanted to take the whole bottle.” Fortunately, mom had wrestled the bottle away. I also spoke with the ER nurse caring for an 18-year old girl “whose parents are out of the picture” and who was brought in by her live-in boyfriend after they had an altercation. She had drunk half a bottle of Nyquil® and taken four tablets of Benadryl® – because she “wanted to go to sleep.”

Now, none of these sound like very serious ingestions to most people – they aren’t ingestions of hundreds of pills, they aren’t particularly toxic substances in the amounts ingested, and none of the patients were having significant symptoms when we were called. Still, each patient was referred to the ER for (or the ER was advised to provide) a thorough medical evaluation – on the general theory that a person who is upset enough to intentionally take an overdose can’t be relied upon to be the most accurate historian. Psychiatric evaluation was also recommended.

At some point you may encounter a friend, relative or acquaintance that has made a suicidal gesture. The circumstances (a teenage romance, the baby blues, a squabble with a boyfriend) may not seem very significant to you. The exposure itself may not seem particularly toxic. Of course, we recommend that you call Indiana Poison Center and let us help you determine what to do in each circumstance.

I encourage you to treat these events EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY for these reasons:

Although the “motive” may seem “insignificant” in your eyes, if the patient has judged it to be an adequate reason for an attempt, disastrous results may occur.
You don’t really know what has been ingested or the quantity involved and you shouldn’t wait to find out what may develop.
If initial suicidal attempts are ignored or minimized, subsequent attempts may be more aggressive.

What happened with these three young ladies? All three were medically evaluated and medically cleared. All were evaluated by the respective Crisis Teams at their facilities. Two were admitted for in-patient psychiatric care and one was referred back to her current therapist for on-going out-patient therapy. Were these ER evaluations worthwhile? Absolutely. They were a very effective method to establish physical stability and acquire an entry to the mental health system.

Someone may call on you for help. Be sure you are listening.

Gwenn

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

So Many Nurses It Boggles The Mind

Saturday, December 19, 2009 by Laurie Barth, BSN, RN

Have you ever thought about how many nurses take care of a patient at Clarian Health? If I sat down and thought about it, there are so many nurses working to make the patient’s stay tolerable and manageable, it boggles the mind.

Upon being admitted to the hospital, the patient is utilizing the various nursing roles and is unaware of the amount of skill, experience and education that is behind their care. Although the bedside nurse is who the patient relates to, it is those other nursing roles that support the bedside nurse.

These are the roles that come to my mind that one patient may have at his/her disposal during a complex hospital stay:

Bedside nurse
Charge nurse
Unit Manager
Director
CNO
CNS – various depending how many co-morbidities the pt has
NPs - various depending how many co-morbidities the pt has
WCON
Ancillary nurses
Nurses in the Information Services department
Nurse Ethicists

I am proud to be a nurse and be part of a profession that nourishes and encourages growth.

Laurie

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Get to Know Someone on a More Personal Level

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 by Matthew S. Starr, MSN, RN, CNA-BC, Asst. Clinical Dir.

People often ask me what is at the core of a great team. I have thought about this a lot. It seems to take a lot of things to make a great team: hiring the right people, having enough equipment, good patient ratios, and collaborative MDs. Though at the core of all of this, what rises higher than any other is relationships. It is truly the job of the manager to aid in bringing a group of people together to form a relationship between their co-workers.

When staff have a vested personal interest in each other they enjoy helping one another as well. Recently I pulled my 100 member team of pulmonary staff together for a team building workshop. Over and over I kept hearing of how much they cared for one another. They have an amazing team and this seemed to be the common theme for all of them and why they had such a great team. Relationships with each other and their manager - what a great concept.

Thinking through the Studer initiatives that Clarian has been undergoing gets a lot of flack about prescriptive questions. At the core of these questions and themes for leaders to use, you can see it is developing a relationship with the staff and getting to know them on a more personal level. This is also what aids patient satisfaction. It is not always about being the best staff member, but it is the lasting relationship you leave with your patients. At times we focus so much on the clinical side we forget to establish the relationship with each other and our patients. If everyone could take away to get to know someone on a more personal level every day, what a preeminent organization we would become.

Matt

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

When the Power Goes Out, We are Empowered

Monday, November 16, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Instantly, the power is gone. Darkness prevails. If you think about it, most of us are not comfortable with darkness – we are hard-wired for light. Twenty-three hours of darkness at IU Hospital this week was an interesting challenge. I’m sure debriefings have run the gamut of every department within the system. I’d like to add my two cents with a few observations from my perch on 4South.

There is a plan. Disaster drills are such a nuisance – especially when you are in charge and the day is horrendous. So are fire drills when it is 0705. And, code drills. Nonetheless, they are all the foundation of preparedness. I suppose the people who are responsible for all of this stuff are going over the details with a fine-tooth comb. From my vantage point: It’s a good plan, and it worked.

People become very resourceful and depend on one another when it is dark. Night shift people can verify this in particular. I understand morning blood draws were more than interesting. So once again we revert to what we learned in kindergarten: “Hold hands and stick together.” Teamwork is a great force.

4South had the benefit of a few working computers. We had to share. It worked well. By and large, people do not want to PAPER CHART. I even found myself being one of them – imagine that!

Patients are very resilient. Given the appropriate information they respond in kind. From the moment a patient is admitted to the hospital, they become dependent. I find it amazing how people respond in that state when given “appropriate information.” I also find it interesting how communication and relationships change when we are all in the same boat: We bond quickly.

Management was right there with us. They were visible, available, resourceful, dependable and appreciative – working for the common good. Why is it that we don’t always see them in that light? I even had a few personal minutes with the Chief of Staff. How special was that!? What he offered was encouragement.

During the day, the unit was quiet. We had limited light, fewer people using our space and a slower pace. It was nice.

We will all have stories to tell. Over the years I have endured many situations without power – some of them lasting for several days; most of them weather-related. We will have fun remembering.

Without electricity, how would we function? Think about that for a minute. And then, think about this: When the power goes out, we are empowered, and the power of the individual is endless.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Why I Do What I Do

Sunday, September 20, 2009 by Tracy Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, Pediatric Critical Care

You may be wondering why I have not written in a while….or maybe not. I have had to assume managerial duties in the unit this week, which creates quite a change in my workload. As I was leading up to this week, and knew this was coming, the walls started closing in on me a bit. As I do try to remain optimistic about most things (you know that thing about choosing to be happy every day, or something like that), I have found some bright sides to this. I have been able to round more on families, which I definitely see as a bonus. I had an interaction with a 3 year old this week, who claimed to be a 4 year old (I assured him he would be at some point), that left me laughing hysterically. His answers to my questions were a riot. I guess I never thought I would be rounding on a toddler, but I am open to anything. This brief encounter was very sustaining, and he will never know it. But that’s okay, because in the middle of a very busy week, it was just what I needed. The precious, honest answers of a beautiful child bring me back to what I love about my job. The children and their families are what make all of the other sometimes crazy events around me fade to the background and help keep me grounded to what is truly important. What a blessing to be able to round on a “3-something” year old!

Tracy

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

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Any Nurse Should Want A Job At This Wonderful Institution

Thursday, August 20, 2009 by Matthew S. Starr, MSN, RN, CNA-BC, Asst. Clinical Dir.

This past weekend I was able to experience what it was like to be on the other side of health care. My 2-month-old niece was rushed from the Ball Memorial Hospital ER to the Riley Hospital for Children ER with seizures.

Each and every day I am able to say I am proud of the unit that I have the privilege of leading at Riley. I am now able to say I have the privilege or working with wonderful people all around Riley.

I met my family in the ER and was able to experience the best in emergency room care that we have to offer. After a stellar emergency room visit we were admitted to one of the in-patient units where the nursing care continued to be top notch.

The staff here are so informed and knowledgeable about the care they are delivering. It was really a super experience during a scary time.

Any nurse should want to be a part of this wonderful institution. Thanks to all!

Matt

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

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Magnet Re-Designation Makes Nurse Recruiter's Cheeks Hurt Again!

Thursday, August 6, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

I attended the Magnet re-designation ceremony at Methodist Hospital yesterday. It was so nice to see everyone gathered around the trophy display case anticipating the award being submitted. Linda Everett, our CNO, and Rhonda Smith, MH nursing VP, both spoke about the long road we, as an organization, had to take to achieve re-designation.

They also informed us that of the few hospital systems privileged enough to obtain Magnet designation a first time, only 2 percent get re-designated. Two Clarian physicians were also in attendance and spoke about how proud they were to work with Clarian nurses. One said, “We have the best nurses here at Clarian and I am always thankful for that.”

In 2005, when Clarian was first designated with Magnet status, I was a newer nurse and a unit magnet champion. I was excited and overwhelmed, but loved every minute of it. When the phone call came, I can remember my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I even held the yellow banner at the end of the ceremony stating that we had made it. Now, four years later, I found the ceremony and the recognition to be just as exciting. I am still incredibly proud and thankful to be a Clarian nurse. And yes, I smiled through the whole thing and my cheeks hurt... AGAIN!

Shalunda

Shalunda Tyler, RN BSN
Nurse Recruiter for Perioperative
Services, Endoscopy, Adult
Cinics, and Healthnet
317 962-9083 office

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Nursing Colleague Finds Perfect Match At Clarian

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

Last week was a little crazy due to two of my office mates being away at a convention in Seattle. I covered the service line for one and helped field questions for the other one. Needless to say, this added to my load and made for a non-stop week. I am so pleased to say though that we have some of the best Support Specialists in the organization; without them, we would not be as efficient a team as we are.

The highlight of my week though was the satisfaction I received out of hiring a dear and long time nursing colleague into a job that she is so excited about. We have worked together on and off over the years in CCU & CVCC at Methodist Hospital, have watched each others' kids grow, shared good and stressful times at the bedside and overall have a deep admiration for each other. She was truly burnt out and fearful that she would leave the profession all together! Now she has taken a position where her new teammates are a perfect match for her personality, whit and temperament, including her new supervisor.

I know she is going to be happy for a long time and I am so pleased that I could be a part of it all :)

Julie

Julie Ruschhaupt, BS, RN, Clarian Health Nurse Recruiter
JRuschhaupt@clarian.org
317-278-7082

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Registered Nurse Receives Gift from Vietnam Veteran on America's Birthday

Friday, July 3, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

Embedded within the Nurse Characteristics of the Synergy Model of Nursing is a fine thread of gold that allows me to weave a picture of my nursing practice whenever I deem it necessary. Perhaps, it is a little PRN reality review that allows me to evaluate my practice, set goals and discover something special.

I’ve done a little weaving today because the week has been brutal. I hit a little negative snag yesterday as I was overtime more than I ever wanted to be in my whole life! I was in good company with several other people. We were all physically, mentally and psychologically exhausted and I can tell you there was not a lot of positive conversation and none of us were looking for a thread of gold or a silver lining!

Now, in the stillness of the morning, I can think about my day and the culmination of the week in the light of Synergy and I am actually feeling pretty good about nursing and pretty good about what I accomplished this week. I looked at my clinical practice and clinical judgment: wanting but intact. I can think of situations where I have been a good patient advocate and a good nurse advocate. I always try to maintain a high level of caring practice and respond to diverse needs. I have to remind myself that when I am tired and have multiple tasks to do that I have to always keep that aspect fine- tuned. I strive to incorporate communication and collaboration because they can make or break a day.

Looking back on this day I find it ran the gamut from rewarding to hilarious! Perception is the tricky part. And, today I was a facilitator of learning as a preceptor. I hope Miss S. was not too overwhelmed. She had good opportunities to do new hands on things and certainly was challenged to figure out how to organize a day. I can see areas where I was more of a help than a hindrance; albeit I was both! Sometimes preceptors get in the way and sometimes they need to be there to help find the way. I need to find that balance.

The Synergy Model always helps me find new energy, new perspectives, new challenges.
Today I found a little nugget that is my reward for the week. It may actually be a reward for a very long time. I cared for a VietnamVet who had a few bumps in the road this week on his way to a transplant. He was a bright spot: always cheerful, wondering how MY day was going, amenable to having a new nurse, and along with his wife, provided a little levity in my chaos. I’m thinking about Mr. M as I prepare to go north this weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July with family and friends. I am thankful for all the freedoms and privileges that America still embraces and I am thankful for men and women like Mr. M who have sacrificed to secure them. This week he put his life in my hands and I tried to handle it with care.

In spite of a horrendous week, the thread of gold continues to weave a pattern of my nursing practice: not a finished product, but a work in progress that requires a little attention now and then, for within the weave is the reward.

Happy Birthday America! And thank you Mr. M.

Sherry

To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

Advice to New Nurses Applying for Positions

Tuesday, May 12, 2009 by The Clarian Health Nurse Recruitment Team

May graduation dates are fast and approaching. The applications for new graduate nurses are coming in to the Clarian system in large numbers. Some of the positions listed may have up to twenty people applying for the same position in a single day.

I receive emails and phone calls from new graduates on a daily basis who are frustrated and anxious that they have not received an interview for a position. Some applicants have applied to the areas of their choices and now those positions are not available any more. They seek our advice on what to do at this point. Some applicants have applied to every position posted regardless on the position just in hopes of getting a call back on something.

My advice to all of these applicants is not to give up. At this point in the year, as a new graduate, you may not have an opportunity to start in the area of your first or even second choice, but any clinical experience is good experience. Also apply to positions wisely, do not just apply to any position that is posted. If the position says it requires experience please do not apply. It is a waste of your time. Spend your energy on the positions that you know that you have a choice to get an interview for.

Be assertive and follow up on your application. Once a position is filled or your application is no longer going to be considered for the position, you will receive an email informing you. If you have received several emails in a row, contact the recruitment staff for advice on why you have not been considered for the positions. Some people say they never receive any communication at all. Upon investigation, they may have listed their email address wrong on the application therefore all communication was not able to go through.

We are here as a resource for all applicants. Remember, there is a person behind all the email and online correspondence. Do not be afraid to contact us because we want you to succeed. We as recruiters want to assist you the best way we can to start your nursing career in a positive way.

Shalunda

To apply for a nursing position at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

A Registered Nurse Needs Reassurance, Too

Sunday, April 26, 2009 by Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN, CCNS, Clarian Nurse Ethicist

Not long ago I was contacted by a nurse manager regarding one of her nurses, Q. It seems Q had been the nurse caring for a patient who was dying and she was experiencing some distress. Shortly after Q administered the prescribed dose of narcotic for the patient, the patient stopped breathing. Q worried that she had somehow hastened the patient’s death. I met with Q, and we talked about what had happened.

As Q told her story, it was clear she had used appropriate indicators in her assessment that the patient was suffering. The dose she administered was well within normal prescribed doses. She administered it in the routine fashion.

As we talked I did my best to reassure Q that the timing of the patient’s last breath was simply a coincidence. By the end of our discussion, Q was clear in her mind:

Her intent was to alleviate pain.
Alleviating pain and suffering at death is a good thing.
While narcotics may cause respiratory suppression, the need to alleviate the pain is more compelling than the potential for respiratory suppression.
She did not intend to alleviate the suffering by causing respiratory depression.

In her heart however, Q still believed it would violate her ethics to participate directly in the care of dying patients.

Clarian has a policy that supports employees who feel they are unable to participate in certain treatments or types of patient care due to their cultural values, ethics or religious beliefs. Does your facility have a policy like this?

There are limits to an employee’s refusal to participate in certain types of care. As in Q’s case, however, if the employee approaches their manager and discusses their concerns in a professional respectful way, there is a clear process to follow to ensure that Clarian’s patients receive safe care, and, whenever possible, our employee’s personal ethics are supported.

Lucia Wocial, PhD, RN
Clarian Health Nurse Ethicist

To join the Registered Nurses at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities

The "Old Guard" Welcomes the Next Class of Registered Nurses

Saturday, March 28, 2009 by Sherry Holden, BSN, RN, Associate Partner

On Tuesday at our Clinical Practice Council Meeting, our LPN enthusiastically announced, “I have 47 more days left of school.” She will then be an RN! Good for her. Good for us. She has been an excellent part to our staff for several years as an LPN and will be an outstanding nurse.

She will be in good company, because this year we have a very special group of SNEM’s that will graduate and stay on 4-medicine. They, too, are eager to finish school and adjust to real changes in their professional and personal lives.

As a member of the "old guard," it is a joy for me to see these new people make the transition and began their careers. I can remember 42 years ago when I was one month from completing my college career. I absolutely loved everything about college. I still have many friendships from those marvelous days. Jamestown College is a small, Christian college on a windswept hill in North Dakota - hardly imaginable to most people. It was a very special time in my life. Nevertheless, with one month remaining, I was more than ready to move on and start “practicing” nursing.

As I watch that circle beginning again, I am encouraged that the profession is sound with this class of students. They have been stellar in their eagerness to learn and grow on the unit. I have noticed that they are a group vested in teamwork and are always available to help anyone. I would challenge them to “be the nurse you always wanted to be” and above all, define and own your practice. And, some where along the way, have the ability to articulate that practice.

Clarian is a great place to start a career. I bet the recruitment people are looking for a few good nurses this time of year. Call and tell them you are interested in IU - 4-medicine in particular.

Sherry

To join learn more about nursing at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities

Nurses at Clarian Embrace Leadership, Training, Excellence

Monday, March 16, 2009 by Matthew S. Starr, MSN, RN, CNA-BC, Asst. Clinical Dir.

As time progresses as a nursing administrator, we tend to see leadership philosophies come and go. We try something and it goes away and something else takes its place. Well, in the last few months, Clarian Health has partnered with The Studer Group (a health care consulting firm focused on helping organizations achieve outcomes) to help us on our journey to preeminence.

Initially we were charged with reading the book Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference. When I read this book, I initially thought this was not just another leadership training initiative -- this is a cultural change. Now, our organization is undergoing a true facelift. We are taking what is a really good organization and taking it to a great organization.

We as leadership have been meeting with coaches, setting goals, and refocusing our efforts according to five pillars of focus for the organization. This has been very exciting and thought provoking. Now, many of the methods we are being taught are not rocket science, but they are helping us to focus on what is important. At times throughout our busy days at work, it is difficult to find focus with many competing priorities. The Studer Group is helping us to set those priorities.

I have been seeing physicians and nurses interact wonderfully and so thoughtfully. I am hearing about thank you cards being sent to the houses of our employees, and seeing how employees reengage in their work. With great leaders and staff, we will see the leadership philosophies emphasized by The Studer Group become “hardwired” in our own quest for preeminence.

Matt

To fulfill your quest as a Registered Nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.

What a Week as a Clarian Registered Nurse!

Saturday, March 7, 2009 by Tracy Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, Pediatric Critical Care

What a week! There was never a doubt in my mind. The ANCC Appraisers were here all week, surveying all of Clarian's downtown hospitals. I was lucky enough to personally spend time with them as their tour guide around Methodist with four other RN’s.

It is a very easy job to show them people, an institution, and processes you are so genuinely proud of. At one point, when we were on about our 5th critical care unit, yet another Beacon Award winner, I looked at one of my “partners in my crime” and said, “Don’t you just love this place?” It is so easy to impress someone, because our pride is obvious, as is the pride in the people that we encountered on each and every floor.

From nurses who greeted the Appraisers with big smiles to the Housekeeping staff who were proud of how great they had the units looking. They all had a story to tell, and we needed a hook to drag the team to the next floor to keep them on anything close to a reasonable schedule! After that fantastic visit, it was back to the Pediatric Critical Care Unit, a place that has been at near capacity for quite some time. It has “taken a village” of extra staff to meet the demands of such high volume and acuity. But as usual, this awesome staff has done just that.

And this past weekend was a perfect example of why I love Methodist. We had a “perfect storm” of very high acuity patients and high volume in the Emergency Department at nearly the same time Saturday night. Between the ED staff, night Nursing Administrator, and PCC staff, everyone worked together with such precision teamwork. These children and their parents received the care they needed and deserved, and I am proud to have been a part of it. It makes it easy to continue doing what you love to do after so many years.

I’m sure next week will bring more excitement…it always does!

Tracy Davis RN

To join our team and feel the pride, visit Registered Nurse Job Opportunities.