River’s Edge Hospital provides real-world experiences for students in health care

SAINT PETER, Minn. (KEYC) - Staff Development Coordinator at River’s Edge Hospital Kimberly Smisek said she’s been helping train student workers for six years, encouraging a new generation of health care workers to pursue careers in their own community.

In that time, Smisek said the hospital has helped 30 nurses through their clinicals and helped hundreds of other student workers get experience in pharmacy, physical therapy, ambulance service and surgical tech among other things, in partnership with more than a dozen regional colleges and universities like South Central College and Gustavus Adolphus.

“Not only to further their career, but [we] also want to keep the talent at home, so once they come here and see what a great place [and] home environment we are to work in, they want to stay,” Smisek said.

After spending 20 years working in hospitals and 10 years working as a paramedic, Smisek says she decided it was a good idea to help teach the next generation.

On average, Smisek says River’s Edge trains three to four nurses a semester during their junior or senior year of college, employing them as PCAs on the floor and training them in soft skills such as how to interact with patients and families.

If they’re skilled enough, Smisek says it can also lead to a job right out of college.

One of her latest pupils, Mercedes Phillips, was hired on Monday after graduating from Rasmussen University.

“It’s great watching them grow; this particular student started out as an aid on the floor. We would talk about her studies, I would give her a couple of tips and tricks and now she works here full time as a nurse,” Smisek said.

Phillips says her experience at River’s Edge as a student was very positive.

She thinks Smisek’s emphasis on patient interaction was one of the more valuable lessons she was able to learn on the job.

“Kim has been very helpful, kind of orientating me to the place, learning how to do new things,” Phillips said.

For other nurses approaching their clinicals she says pursuing that experience at a local hospital like River’s Edge can be very rewarding, while it may be hard work, she says it is well worth it.

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