When the Baskin-Robbins ice cream franchise decided to let customers sample flavors before picking which one they wanted, it was a revolutionary idea. But the company realized the value of allowing folks who had a tasty treat on their minds to sample a free taste on a small, pink, plastic spoon before settling in with a whole cone of just one flavor. Nurse recruiter Karen Henderson, RN, is putting a similar idea in place at Wellmont Health System in Tennessee.

“I thought it would be a cool thing,” says Henderson, who has been a nurse for 18 years. “We could have a day where nurses could come in and try out a couple of units that they might be interested in. And, they don’t have to make a commitment.”

Henderson’s creative idea came to fruition last week, as two Nurses’ Dream Days were held at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Soon-to-be-graduate nurses and nurses looking for a change came in and shadowed RNs on a variety of units, including critical care, cardiac, pediatrics, and the emergency department, to get a taste of life on those units. The response was very positive, Henderson says. “One person had a path in mind, so we put him in a couple places,” she adds. “He experienced a unit that he never would have even thought of. He was very excited.”

Two more Nurses’ Dream Days, which are free of charge, will be held at Holston Valley Medical Center on March 30 and April 13.

Like other nurse recruiters across the country, Henderson is always thinking of creative ways to find qualified applicants. It’s not easy. “The nursing shortage is national and it’s very real for all of us,” she says.

The need for nurses and a little research helped Henderson dream up Nurses’ Dream Day. “I’ve talked to a lot of nurses, graduating students who are not really sure about where they want to work,” she says. “They have an idea, but they are reluctant to try something they haven’t done before. Plus, I’m a nurse, so I do things I would have wanted people to do.”

She laid out a simple plan for the Dream Days:

• Two days (with two sessions each day) at both Bristol Regional and Holston Valley Medical Center
• Sessions last for two hours, so nurses can spend an hour on two different units
• The day starts with a description of Wellmont and the many unique programs it has to support students after graduation
• Any upcoming graduate or experienced RN is welcome to attend

With regard to the final part of the plan, Henderson was surprised at last week’s turnout: “We got more interest from experienced nurses, and I never would have guessed that,” she says. “I guess students in the area have done clinicals and are already committed to coming to us. The other nurses must just be looking to try something different.”

The early success of the program also stems from the instrumental involvement of the Welmont staff. Henderson says that everyone has been very supportive. “We have some unbelievable mentors,” she adds. “They love showing off what they do.”

Based on feedback so far, Henderson sees it as something that will continue in the future at Wellmont. “I definitely want to do it again,” she says. “I mean, it’s a scary thing to commit to a job where you haven’t worked before.”

For more information on Nurses’ Dream Day, contact Henderson at Karen_l_Henderson@wellmont.org