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inova health system in northern virginia has several nurse residency program. there are about 6 hospitals plus other facilities (heart & vascular institute, emergency centers, urgent care centers, etc.) within this system and each, individual, hospital maintains their own nurse residency program. the icu program is 18 months long at one of their hospitals!!!

for those that think a 12-month residency program is too long, you may want to review the information/research provided by the aanc/uhc (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education/nurseresidency.htm) to see what the program consists of. it can't be completed in a mere 12 weeks, like most hospitals. many hospitals do not participate in the aanc/uhc program; but they have created their own based upon what the aacn/uhc established. the hospitals that are participating in the program must adhere to the aanc/uhc guideline; but the hospitals that have created their own program are even better for new grads.

some hospitals allow the new grads to rotate to through all of their departments during the 12-month program. the new grad spends a week on basic new employee orientation followed by several weeks in the classroom (skills lab, ekg/ecg training, central lines/ivs, etc.). once you pass your classes you then spend 2-3 months in each area/department (med/surg, peds, l&d, icu, etc.). the new grad gets to identify their top 3 or 4 areas of interest then rotates to those departments. if the new grad determines that the area they are in is a good "fit", they apply to stay in that department and they no longer rotate. the remainder of their new grad program will then evolve around that one department (one-on-one preceptor, one day a week classroom, additional skills labs associated with the department (especially if it is a "specialty" unit), one day a month meeting with all new grads to see how everyone is doing, etc.)

for those that think 12-months is too long... 18-months is even better!!! whether your are in a 12-month or an 18-month program...by the time you end your nurse residency program you are no longer "green." you are not thrown out to the wolves--alone. you are definitely "comfortable" being on the floor, your self esteem has not been damaged, you are confident, etc. i would take a well organized 12 or 18-month nurse residency program over a 12-week, 4 month "orientation/preceptorship" any day without hesitation!!!

if you are accepted into a new grad rn residency program....enjoy and gain as much knowledge/experience as you can!!!