Orthopedics and Urology

Our 25-bed fast-paced post-operative unit cares for a mixed population of orthopedic and urology patients. Our unit is a big family, from unit clerks to LNAs to RNs. We work together, we go out together, and we support each other.

Our core population is post-surgical patients including trauma, total hip and knee replacements, hip fractures, spine patients as well as TURPS, bladder diversions and prostatectomies. Our orthopaedic patients stay an average of 2 to 3 days while our urology patients stay from 5 to 7 days, so we have a quick turnaround.

We have many ongoing quality projects and have developed several care pathways for our orthopedic patients. Quality patient care and patient satisfaction is our priority. If you want to grow and constantly be on top of current practice, we want you. You will have the opportunity to advance through the clinical ladder or become a Nurse Educator or Assistant Nurse Manager.

Our practice council consists of our Nurse Educator, Nurse Manager and staff nurses, but we are currently redesigning the council so staff nurses have the power they need to make changes in the unit.

For more information call Megan Brunovsky at 800-722-9922, option 3, or 802-847-9680 or visit www.fletcherallen.org.

Orthopedics and Urology

Orientation

We don't expect you to be an expert at the beginning of your orientation; we strive to give you all the tools, resources, skills, and knowledge you need to give great nursing care to our patients. Orientation is a 10 to12 week process for most new nurses to the unit. For the experienced nurse it could be only 6 to 8 weeks, but we allow everyone the opportunity to do 10 to 12 weeks if needed. We provide our new grads 1 to 2 weeks of time to work one-on-one with a primary preceptor. This means they are taking care of 1 to 2 patients with the direct guidance and supervision of their preceptor. During these first weeks, their preceptor does not take any additional patients. The two of you work as a team caring for your 1 to 2 patients.

You will spend the first half of your orientation on day shift and then rotate to your off-shift for the second half. To provide you with consistency, we try to keep you with one primary preceptor on day shift and one on night shift. As a new grad you are also given the opportunity to shadow in the operating room for a day and see some of our common orthopedic surgeries. Even at the completion of your orientation process, we encourage you to continue to ask lots of questions and feel comfortable approaching any nurse for help once you are off orientation.