Cost of Nurse Residency Program

SierraBravo · Jan 19, 2015

I still don't understand the concept of a nurse "residency", let alone having to pay for it. What ever happened to getting hired and being paired up with a qualified preceptor? Anyways, whenever I hear the term residency I immediately think of a MD residency. In any event, I wouldn't pay $650 for anything like that. If they want you to become qualified in those things they can pay for it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2015

I applied to a Nurse Residency Program but was wondering if the cost is an average amount for a program with no guaranteed job at the end.

The average cost for a nurse residency program is usually $0. In fact, the healthcare facility where the residency takes place should be paying you an hourly wage.

guest769224 · Jan 19, 2015

This is not a good idea. You do not pay them for a nurse residency program. They pay YOU! That is how it's always been done. And during your residency, they should be orienting you to the unit and how to be a safe new graduate, not just limited to what you mentioned. I see a red flag here. And when you are in a nurse residency program, there is a guaranteed job at the end. That is the whole point of going through one. They train you their way so they can keep you.

I have heard that if you leave a contracted residency program early, you pay a fee of thousands of dollars. But in this situation it shouldn't cost you a penny.

Don't get suckered into this.

Butterfly922 · Jan 19, 2015

It's easy to say that when you already have a job. However I have been an RN for over a year and have not been able to get a job. So at this point I'm willing to do anything.

AJJKRN · Jan 19, 2015

My hospital started a Nurse Residency a few years ago that doesn't have a price tag to it! The proposed benefits are that the nurse educators follow your progress for the first year, during your three month orientation (for Med-Surg areas) you go to a weekly class for added nursing education like studying/taking the tele test, and while in residency you are placed on different floors for different lengths of time trying to find your "fit". The best for the floors has got to be not having to absorb the cost of orientation for a new nurse in their budgets (which can run in upwards of $70,000 per new grad - which is pretty much a loss to the floor and facility if the nurse leaves within the first year). For floors with a lot of turn over, this has been a blessing, especially the harder floors that are considered stepping stones to places such as the ICU's or the float pool. I've never heard of having to pay for residency and a new nurse should already have their BLS from doing nursing school clinicals right?

AJJKRN · Jan 19, 2015

It's easy to say that when you already have a job. However I have been an RN for over a year and have not been able to get a job. So at this point I'm willing to do anything.

I would have to bet that this facility is tired of training new grads only to have them leave in the first year...getting you to pay for a spot in their residency might be a way of psychologically keeping you there longer. Anyone ever seen those shopping carts that you put a quarter in because people will return the cart themselves to get their quarter back but if the cart is stolen, taken, whatever, they are about 300 to 400+ dollars to replace. Sounds like this is what may be going on here...

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jan 19, 2015

This is NOT a residency, it is a skills class. Don't do it, is this affiliated with a hospital? Are they paying you at all? All the residencies that I know of pay you, train you and out you in a job.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jan 19, 2015

traditional New Grad Residency are programs to get new grads better prepared for their first nursing job as a new hire at a hospital and make the transition easier. The "Nurse Residency" program that you are referring to has little value to an employer. BLS, IVs, glucometer, and EKG interpretation are all taught in nursing school and employers would expect you to already know how to do that stuff without that course. It would be a waste of money.

If you want to do something, then take an ACLS or PALS course. They would look better on a resume than that course.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 19, 2015

I agree with NicuGal. This doesn't sound like a true residency at all.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jan 19, 2015

I would have to bet that this facility is tired of training new grads only to have them leave in the first year...getting you to pay for a spot in their residency might be a way of psychologically keeping you there longer. Anyone ever seen those shopping carts that you put a quarter in because people will return the cart themselves to get their quarter back but if the cart is stolen, taken, whatever, they are about 300 to 400+ dollars to replace. Sounds like this is what may be going on here...

This is not affiliated with being hired. The OP is planning to take this course to be able to get a job.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jan 19, 2015

It's easy to say that when you already have a job. However I have been an RN for over a year and have not been able to get a job. So at this point I'm willing to do anything.

But you are throwing money towards a class; with NO guarantee that you will land a hospital job-and are skills that are taught on the job for FREE.

It would be better to pay for this "class" with a job outside of the hospital setting-look into sub acute, LTAC, corrections, etc to build your experience. :yes: