New Nurse Residency Program
May 25, 2024
Willamette Valley Medical Center, a part of Lifepoint Health, announced the launch of a new nurse residency program. Based on an apprenticeship model, the evidence-based transition-to-practice program provides hands-on, structured support for nurses as they graduate nursing school and start their careers at Willamette Valley Medical Center.
“We have talked to students, schools and recruiters to understand what is most important to new nurses in choosing their first job, and three consistent themes emerge more than any others - a structured program to support their transition, a clear career pathway for advancement and growth, and regular engagement and feedback from their team, said Tracy Autler, chief nursing officer at Willamette Valley Medical Center. “These three elements are foundational to our new program.”
All new graduate nurses joining Willamette Valley Medical Center are automatically enrolled in the program as nurse residents, and over the first twelve months of employment are guided through three structured phases – clinical competence, culture transition, and leadership development. During each phase of the residency, the resident is assigned an experienced nurse preceptor or mentor who has completed the program’s preceptorship training. The program culminates in the completion of a Capstone project, which ties together the resident’s first year of work, individually and with their team, and demonstrates the personal impact they have made in the workplace.
“Given the growing national nursing shortage, it is critical that we identify new strategies to support and retain our new nurses. This program provides the right training and resources helping our new nurses develop into confident, competent and resilient caregivers and thrive in their nursing careers,” said Autler.
The program, which is a Registered Apprenticeship Program with the US Department of Labor, was launched in several Lifepoint Health pilot locations last year and has experienced great results already. Upon completion of the program, 93% of nurses were still working at their facilities, compared to studies showing 20-30% of new nurses leaving their jobs in the first year.
To learn more about the program contact Anna Hilts, Nursing Education Manager at anna.hilts@mywvmc.com