 |
Summer Geary Cooperative
A Unique Clinical Experience for Baccalaureate Nursing Students
 What is the Summer Geary Cooperative?
The Geary program for baccalaureate nursing students is a unique and valuable program named for its founder, Dr. Patricia Geary, a former Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of Southern Maine. Dr. Geary was a strong advocate for students. She recognized students could gain extremely valuable experiences when precepted by excellent practicing professional nurses and sought to create a model to support such experiences. Dean Geary pursued this goal by negotiating with nursing colleagues at Maine Medical Center and together they developed the summer co-operative experience. This educational opportunity combines a transferable two credit USM course elective with a paid summer clinical preceptorship with a RN at Maine Medical Center. There may be times when students from other baccalaureate nursing programs may be admitted.
What is the difference between the Geary Co-op and the Nurse Associate?
Both are participants of the Student Nurse Employment Program (SNEP), MMC’s summer internship. By the Maine Nursing Board regulations, the Geary students are allowed to administer medications, participate in IV therapy, and perform nursing procedures under the oversight of the preceptor because this is an academically supervised clinical experience. Nurse Associates are authorized to provide only selected patient care activities and are not authorized to perform professional nursing duties.
How does a student qualify to be a Geary Co-op Student?
- Current enrollment in good standing in a Bachelaureate Nursing Program with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Active status on the Maine State Board of Nursing C.N.A. Registry by March 1, 2010.
-
Successful completion (grade C or above) of a first Medical Surgical theory course, NUR 323 at USM. We recognize that the student may be just starting this course at the time of application. A student who has been accepted to the program and is at risk for a Spring low grade will be expected to discuss this with the Geary faculty any time during the semester.
-
Proof of passing grades (C or above) for all courses in the Spring semester must be achieved prior to beginning the summer Geary course. Given that acceptance is made in February/March, a student could loose their spot in the program if this criteria is not met.
-
Applicants must be able to commit to a five day hospital nursing orientation during the first week of June (exact dates will be announced later) and a summer schedule that puts full time Geary employment at 32-36 hours per week as their first priority. Additional jobs that would interfere with the MMC work schedule are highly discouraged. Applicants must also be available to work 12 hour shifts on nights or weekends as needed to match their precepting nurse’s schedule.
Placements are expected to be on general medical surgical units with rare exceptions to specialty units.
What is the application process for the Geary Co-op?
A. Students must complete and send:
1. A letter of interest with qualifications:
A letter of interest with qualifications:
This letter should be written to the faculty member and a nurse manager “Dear USM Faculty and MMC Nursing Director” as an application for the program and for employment. Remember that this position will give you more practice privileges and nursing responsibilities than a Nursing Associate. Thus, it would be helpful to mention your academic achievements, any past caregiving, nursing or related experience, what you hope to gain from the position, as well as your work ethic or evidence of personal integrity/reliability. Mention of how you will adjust your academic or personal schedule to accommodate this position will be helpful.
2. A letter of recommendation:
One letter must be from a clinical or lab instructor who can speak about the student’s clinical abilities. The student may submit a second recommendation from an employer or second faculty member but it is not required. The MMC application process may ask for a second reference. An email letter of recommendation is acceptable.
3. An unofficial transcript updated to include Fall 10:
4. A completed Confidential Scheduling Information Sheet
A completed Confidential Scheduling Information Sheet. The student who is applying agrees to make the employment between June 1 and August 20 the first priority for scheduling of 320 clinical hours. Enrollment in one course during the summer may be accommodated but any more than that generally compromises the student’s ability to schedule the 320 hours of work at MMC during the June 1 – August 20 time period. Students without other employment will be considered first. Students accepted into the first stage of interviewing will need to discuss their schools schedule with the manager. If it is not workable, the student may be redirected to another unit or placed on the waiting list.
Scheduling Form
Send Send all Four by Feb 12, 2011 - via eamil or regular mail to:
jdvorak@usm.maine.edu
Or: Jean Dvorak, MS, RN
Coordinator USM Geary Cooperative
334 Masterton Hall, USM
Box 9300
Portland, Maine 04104-9300
B. Students candidates will be narrowed down by the faculty and notified
regarding the first stage acceptance in Late February or March. These stage one candidates will be notified by faculty and will be given specific dates to fill out an online MMC application. This job application process online will have restricted dates for those chosen candidates.
The student must be successful in a subsequent interview with the Unit Director and offered the job as a final step in the process of achieving a Geary Coop placement.
last updated 1/11
For questions or comments, please contact us.
|
 |
|
