Authors

  1. Reed, Karen S. DHSc, MSN, RN, CNE, CNL, CRRN
  2. Aul, Karen S. PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE

Article Content

Two nursing faculty members created a clinical unit handoff experience, which facilitated senior nursing students supporting junior nursing students in their first clinical rotation. The senior students were completing a clinical rotation on a medical-surgical unit at a large academic medical center, and their faculty member suggested that they each write a letter to a junior student, "handing off" the unit they were leaving. The seniors supported the idea to write about what they had learned on the unit and provide words of advice to help the junior nursing students feel more secure. The senior students provided both advice and encouragement in the letters. The letters, each in a sealed envelope, were then "handed off" to the faculty member bringing the junior students to the same hospital unit. During clinical orientation with the junior students, the incoming faculty member had the students sit in a circle, randomly select an envelope, and read aloud the letter they had chosen. As the words from the senior students were shared, the juniors felt both grateful and inspired. Phrases such as "stay in the nurses' jet stream" and "it's okay to be overwhelmed and unsure" resonated among the novice students. In addition, the junior students felt reassured, and their confidence levels were bolstered from the descriptions of the positive learning environment experienced by the senior students. The students reported their intention to keep their letter as a symbol of the unit legacy that was passed down to them.