Determining Your Direction: Nurse Residencies and How They Can Help

BY MICHELE WOJCIECHOWSKI

When you’re a new graduate of nursing school, you get your RN licensure, and you’re starting a new job—it might seem a bit overwhelming. Sure, you’ve treated patients during your clinics, but now you’re on your own.

But you don’t have to be. You can pursue a nurse residency.

Physicians and other healthcare workers are known for having residencies. However, in nursing, the formal nurse residency program was founded in 2000 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the United Health System Consortium, says Yvonne Eaddy, RN, BSN, MSN, Vice President, Regional Patient Care Services, Home Care from VNS Health. Residencies were started “to support the onboarding of new graduate nurses. Over the years, nurse residency programs have been established nationwide.

While not all nurses take residencies, they really can be beneficial.

“Nurse residency programs help transition graduate nurses into bedside clinical practice. Ideally, the program will help new-to-practice nurses develop critical thinking skills while utilizing the knowledge acquired during nursing school,”

“Nurse residency programs help transition graduate nurses into bedside clinical practice. Ideally, the program will help new-to-practice nurses develop critical thinking skills while utilizing the knowledge acquired during nursing school,” explains Kathleen Gaines, MSN, RN, BA, CBC, and News and Education Editor at Nurse.org. “The length of nurse residency programs depends on the hospital and the unit. Typically, nurse residency programs last roughly a year; however, nurses working in a critical care setting can expect residency programs to last closer to two years.”

In addition, a nurse residency program can also support the transition to those nurses who are new to their specialty field, says Eaddy. “New nurses can feel overwhelmed and need to be supported to build their confidence in their knowledge and skills as they transition to practice.”

Nurse residency programs can be quite easy to find. Gaines says interested nurses should consider local hospitals they may want to work for and check their websites. Eaddy adds, “Healthcare organizations publicize their residency programs on job search platforms, their websites, LinkedIn, and career search websites.”

If you’re not sure what a nurse residency is or how it works, Eaddy says, “A residency program provides extra guidance and support to new nurses as they prepare to practice independently, can help build job satisfaction, can reduce turn-over, and improve retention." Residency programs focus on supporting the transition to practice from the academic setting and the transfer of knowledge and skills to actual practice.”

“Residency programs focus on supporting the transition to practice from the academic setting and supporting the transfer of knowledge and skills to actual practice.” She also adds, “at VNS Health, our nurse residency program for our home healthcare nurses is a two-year program with an evidence-based curriculum to support the transition to practice of the new graduate nurses or nurses new to the specialty field with less than a year of nursing experience.”

“Throughout the residency process, most new-to-practice nurses will be paired with a preceptor and/or mentor. This experienced nurse will help guide you through orientation and be there to support you,” says Gaines.

Nursing residencies are available in all different areas of nursing. However, Eaddy says the type of residencies offered depends on each organization's wants.

What should nurses expect from a residency?

“Once accepted to a residency program, a nurse resident can expect to participate in classroom sessions, become knowledgeable about organizational policies and procedures, build new skills, and engage in hands-on clinical experience supported by an educator, a preceptor, and their program or clinical director /manager,” explains Monica Cayemitte, BSN, RN, Clinical Manager, Nurse Residency Program, Home Care from VSN Health. “Nurse residency programs are offered as part of the onboarding process of the hiring organization. There is no cost to the participant. A resident is a salaried employee of the hiring organization.”

The biggest challenges of nurse residencies tend to be with time and commitment. “A concern with nurse residency programs is that most nurse residency programs do require a long-term commitment from the individual. For example, most programs require nurses to sign a minimal one-year commitment after the end of the residency,” says Gaines. “Another significant concern is the lack of control over your schedule.

After being paired with a preceptor or mentor, you will

“Once accepted to a residency program, a nurse resident can expect to participate in classroom sessions, become knowledgeable about organizational policies and procedures, build new skills, and engage in hands-on clinical experience supported by an educator, a preceptor, and their program or clinical director /manager.” be assigned to work their shifts. This means you may work weekends, nights, or holidays.”

Cayemitte adds, “They need to be able to give the required time commitment for a residency, as determined by the organization. There is also a classroom component and time spent on building and developing clinical skills; there is the time adjustment to the work environment, learning a new work schedule and job responsibilities.”

But, as our sources indicate, the benefits are worth it. “Nurse residency programs help new nurses gain confidence and expertise in a specialty,” says Gaines.

“Rewards of residency programs include developing critical competencies like communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities,” says Cayemitte. “In addition, residencies strengthen hands-on planning and care-delivery skills. For example, residents build self-confidence through practice; they build camaraderie and friendships by being part of a cohort with fellow residents and have dedicated role models with their preceptor/ mentor.”

Michele Wojciechowski is a national award-winning freelance writer based in Baltimore, Maryland. She loves writing about nursing but comes close to fainting when she sees blood. She’s also the author of the humor book, Next Time I Move, They’ll Carry Me Out in a Box.