SCA Health remains committed to offering our nurse teammates the ability to gain new skills and advance their careers. To that end, we are proud to offer our Preop/PACU Nurse Development (PPND) Program. Similar to our Periop 101 Program, this PPND Program provides SCA Health-employed nurses a unique opportunity to develop their preoperative and postoperative skillset further.
What Is Our Program?
Our new PPND program is designed with our nurses in mind, regardless of their career stage. This program was created for RNs who are:
- New nursing graduates (Employed by SCA Health).
- Nurses new to SCA Health (With or without prior Preop/PACU experience).
- SCA Health nurses interested in cross-training.
- Preceptors for Preop/PACU RNs.
- Seeking more Preop/PACU knowledge.
Over eight weeks, participants will take part in virtual classes, complete online modules, and apply what they have learned in person at their facility. These avenues of learning combine to prepare the nurses to provide the safest care possible.
The PPND Program adds another level of growth for SCA Health Nurses, along with our Periop 101 program.
“SCA Health continues to identify and create RN Advancement Programs to support our current teammates and allow for confident recruiting of new teammates with all levels of experience,” said Renee Galvan, SCA Health Clinical Education Director and creator of the PPND Program.
The Benefits
SCA Health-employed nurses with all levels of experience can reap the rewards of the program. All graduates gain valuable continuing education hours toward their nursing license and can utilize this supplemental training alongside our standard onboarding procedures.
“I see PPND Program participants gaining a foundation or reinforcement of the why behind evidence-based practices,” Galvan said.
Our PPND Program was designed using proven, reliable, evidence-based resources from the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) and the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN). This program was developed in our system and built specifically to match the experiences our nurse teammates receive at SCA Health.
By the end of the course, SCA Health nurses will have built upon existing knowledge to deliver the safest care and speak up for patient safety, both in the preoperative and postoperative settings.
Hear from Course Graduates
“I am very excited about the information we’ve been reviewing and feel it is a wonderful program. This fills a void that has been missing for new Preop/PACU nurses. I’m hopeful we will be able to utilize this with one or more of our facility’s new hires.”
-Angela Johnson, RN, BSN – DON and Infection Control Officer, Lakeside Ambulatory Surgery Center
“(The course provides) Excellent insight for those new to Preop/PACU or cross-training from the OR. I am learning to ‘bridge the gap’ and be a better OR nurse for my patients throughout the perioperative process! I have a better understanding of preop and postop and can utilize my knowledge to be successful as a Preop/PACU nurse. I am excited to continue to learn after the program is over so I can be a versatile staff member at my facility.”
-Megan Tarara, MSN, RN, PHN – Interim Pre/Post Nurse Manager, Allina Health Surgery Center – Vadnais Heights
“I learned a lot from the modules these past two weeks. I’m not new to nursing, but I am new to peri-anesthesia. This course is important for newer Preop/PACU nurses because it’s not always easy to ask questions about new processes we aren’t familiar with. I feel like the modules provide a lot of education that we can carry into real-world practice, and I feel comfortable asking questions and providing feedback.”
-Abbey Willis, RN – Preop/PACU RN Charlotte Surgery Center, Wendover
Nurses interested in joining SCA Health, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at talent.acquisition@scasurgery.com.
SCA Health-employed nurses interested in participating in the course should email Elise Eidson at Elise.Eidson@scasurgery.com.
Want to learn more about our other programs? Check out some other posts on our Insights Tab.
