Nurse Residency Programs?

ckh23, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2011

Here is a link to how they work it at my hospital

http://www.hahnemannhospital.com/en-us/nursing/pages/rn-residency-program.aspx

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 26, 2011

Im in one now. This one http://www.versant.org/default.asp

I like the transition from student to working nurse. There was a lot that I never picked up in clinicals that I am learning now. We have class two days a week and work on the floor two days a week. We are just now starting looping, going to other areas and floors and working/observing to see what it is like so we dont abuse pharm/RT/PT etc. Over 80 applied for ours and 9 got it.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Feb 26, 2011

The Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, WY has a really good nurse residency program I just checked out. They are looking for new grads. Casper is out in the boonies so it's not sought a lot but the Hospital is a really nice state of art hospital and they are offering good pay and beni's. It's a year long program. WY is a really wealthy state. If I didn't have my 4 kids I would have to relocate as well I would take the opportunity. They called our school asking them to inform us they are looking for new grads for this program they are doing. Since it's a year long it enables the new grad to get well prepared.

I wish we had something like this available locally. I would love to get into these programs. I heard the one in Portland is really good too, through OSHU I think it is.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Feb 26, 2011

I would like to know what a nurse residency program is. I have heard the term mentioned before, but I am unclear as to what these programs actually entail. Could someone enlighten me? Are they just for new grads? Are they competitive? Is it a really big deal to be in one? Will you be more prepared if you go through one? What do you do in a nurse residency program? I'm just curious. I will be graduating this summer and I wonder if this is something I should look into.

Yes, they are just for new grads. Yes, they are highly competitive. To be accepted to one generally means that you have a job before you even graduate, pending passing NCLEX the first time.

The hospitals in my area that have new grad residency programs do not hire new grads in any other way. I believe that if you go through one, you commit yourself to a certain number of months or years working at the hospital that hired you. These programs are expensive for the hospitals to do, and they want to make sure that their new grads are well-prepared to work independently, feel comfortable in the environment once they work independently, and will not leave after a few short months off orientation. It's really a win-win situation for both the new grad and the hospital that has these programs.