Questions about RN residencies.

[Capp]

I have an interview coming up for a residency position in a couple days, and I had a few questions.

1. How does a residency candidate with LPN experience look? Does it give me a huge advantage over other new RNs who have no experience? Or is it irrelevant or potentially counter-productive?

2. What is the quality of the training in these programs typically?

3. Does having been in a residency program look good on a resume somehow?

4. What is the pay typically like in these programs? I was speculating that it might not be great, and I'm not sure what to say if pay comes up during the process. I make $30/hr right now and if they are not able to match that I don't want to ask for it and scare them off. I would be willing to take a pay cut to get into the hospital.

5. How should I prepare for the interview? What kind of candidates are they typically looking for?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

The structure, goals, curriculum, etc. for residencies depends entirely on the sponsoring organization - there is no standard. Therefore, there is no way to provide any definitive answers to your questions. Your best sources of information are the people who are associated with the program itself.

It is the same sort of thing for your question as to how your LPN experience will be handled. Some organizations will factor it in when they determine your starting salary... usually based on a ratio such as 1 yr LPN experience = 6 months RN experience. But this is normally only taken into consideration for 'experienced' staff, not those that come into the organization via a residency program. For residencies, it is a 'one size fits all' for compensation.

Best of luck to you on your RN career.