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Observations/Job Shadowing

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Observations/Job Shadowing

Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center offers a variety of opportunities for qualified students and licensed practitioners to observe members of the healthcare workforce first-hand. You'll not only witness a provider's professional role and responsibilities, but also the function of a department and how it integrates within the hospital and overall healthcare system.



Interested in an observational experience?

     Please contact Katelyn Stoddard at kstoddard@northernlight.org.

 

We accommodate many different types of observational experiences, which are outlined below:
  • High school and undergraduate student experiences in non-nursing specialties, including providers, PT/OT, imaging, and surgical technicians
  • Current high school student volunteers looking for observation experiences in any specialty
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  • All nursing experiences
  • All non-provider experiences for employees, post-graduate students, and other adults, including PT/OT, imaging, and surgical technicians

 
 
  • Provider experiences for post-graduate students, other non-employee adults, surgical robot, and visiting residents and providers
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  • Provider experiences for Northern Light EMMC employees
    • Contact Practice Manager to coordinate; view policy for details
  • Provider Candidates
    • Provider Recruitment coordinates experiences for candidates that are actively interviewing

 


 

 


Employee Observations OUTSIDE Department of Employment
  • Employee requests observation from Practice Manager at least 60-days in advance of desired observation date (This timeframe is at the discretion of the Practice Manager.)
  • Practice Manager gets permission from provider with whom the employee is requesting an observation
  • Once permission is obtained, an observation date is agreed upon by practice manager, provider, and employee (keeping in mind other observers/students already scheduled in department/with provider)
  • Once a date is determined, at least 30-days prior to the date of the proposed observation, practice manager emails Chief of Service and their MSO Support person of arranged observation with:
    • Employee’s Name
    • Employee’s Role in the System
    • Date of Proposed Observation
    • Area of Observation
    • Provider to be Observed
  • If the Chief of Service does not feel, for any reason, that this is an appropriate observation, the practice manager will be informed at least two-weeks prior to the date of the proposed observation
    • If the Chief of Service does not approve, the observation will be canceled                       
 
Employee Observations Within Department of Employment
  • Employee requests observation from Practice Manager
  • Practice Manager gets permission from provider with whom the employee is requesting an observation
  • Once permission is obtained, an observation date is agreed upon by practice manager, provider, and employee (keeping in mind other observers/students already scheduled in department/with provider)
 
*Practice Manager should remind employee that observations are 100% hands-off and that the only allowed communication between them and the patient are pleasantries.
 
For requests from individuals not employed by EMMC, the current process will continue.

 
 
Who can apply for an observation?
  • Students - must be at least 16 years old
    • High School Individuals
    • High School Groups - program coordinators must work with Community Engagement to set up an experience for multiple student
    • Undergraduate College
    • Graduate College
  • Healthcare Professionals - staff from other healthcare organizations and EMMC employees

How long can observations be?
  • 1 - 2 day experiences
  • 4 - 8 hours long
  • Only 1 experience per observer

Where can observations occur?
  • We offer experiences in a variety of locations and specialties throughout Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.
  • Availability is dependent on each department and will be determined at the time of the request.
  • Observers may have already coordinated with a provider; otherwise, Community Engagement can request availability for you.

What happens after making an observation request?
  • Once we have received all of the required documentation, we will review and begin to process the request.
  • Should you be approved for the observation, you will receive further instructions.


What are the onboarding requirements?
  • Application for Observational Experience
  • Confidentiality and Information Systems Agreement
  • Dress Code for Observers
  • Immunization Documentation - official immunization records or titers are acceptable documentation. Formal documentation is required; screenshots and self-reported information is not acceptable. (Only needed for observations longer than 4 hours)
    • MMR - Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
    • Varicella - Chicken Pox (stated history of chicken pox is not acceptable)
    • Flu - it is currently flu season, so you will need to provide flu shot documentation for 2024-2025 or a Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center declination form, which requires a provider's signature.
  • Orientation to Life Safety
 

 

Please be aware that we receive a very high volume of requests to observe, so we can't accommodate more than one role per person. We have limited capacity in many departments and have even reached capacity in some clinical areas. Therefore, we are unable to guarantee placements.

Also, due to such high demands, response time is not always immediate. Kindly note that it may take up to two weeks before hearing back. If documentation is received in piecemeal, this will also delay the process. Requests will be processed in the order they are received and could require longer processing time depending on whether a provider has already agreed to host or not.

Additionally, it is important to note the following:

Please be aware that job shadow experiences are completely hands-off, exchanging pleasantries only with patients, and can only be:

  • 1 - 2 day experiences
  • 4 - 8 hours long

Only 1 experience per observer


We appreciate your patience!

  • Determine your fit for a career in healthcare.
  • Better understand the skills and knowledge required for a specific specialty.
  • Experience the healthcare environment and culture of the medical field.
  • Create valuable connections with providers currently working in your desired profession.

  • Come prepared with basic knowledge of the specialty, questions for your preceptor, and an open mind.
  • Take note of the healthcare environment, focus on the subtleties of the patient/provider interactions.
  • Your experience is what you make it - the more engaged you are, the better your experience will be.
  • Patients and staff deserve the utmost respect; you should be presenting yourself as the future professional you will be.
  • If at any time you feel uncomfortable or unsure of a situation, please make your preceptor aware.
  • No hands-on or verbal interactions (aside from pleasantries) with the patients will be permitted.

  • OBSERVATION: an observation is an unpaid learning experience where the participant accompanies a preceptor throughout their daily routine, observing and discussing experiences and questions.
 
  • PRECEPTOR: a preceptor is the provider that has agreed to host you for an observation.
 
  • STUDENT: an individual enrolled in an accredited college, vocational, or professional school.
 
  • HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL: any practitioner holding a current license from Maine or another state.

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