Established in 2006, the RN Residency Program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is a prestigious, 1-year program offered in association with the University Healthcare Consortium (UHC) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for all new graduate nurses entering into clinical nursing practice. The program’s focus is on the transition of new nurses to professional nursing practice and is primarily based on Dr. Patricia Benner’s research published in her book: From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice.
Program Overview
All new graduate nurses hired into the hospital participate in the UHC/AACN RN Residency program. The goal of the program is to transition the new graduate nurse from Level Two (advanced beginner nurse) to Level Three (competent professional nurse) in the clinical environment in a period of one year. RN residents participate in monthly seminar sessions facilitated by expert nurses with special emphasis on:
- Critical thinking skills
- Leadership development
- Patient safety
- Professional career development
- Evidenced-based practice
- Written and verbal communication
The RN Residents work in groups to complete an evidenced-based project and poster presentation at the end of the program. All residents receive paid time for participating in seminar sessions with time allotted to complete their unique group projects.
The RN Residency Program has enrolled over 1400 new graduate nurses since its inception in 2006. The program has witnessed turnover rates dropping significantly and leveling off today around 3%. Retention of new nurses is a high priority at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Feedback
“What I enjoyed most about the RN Residency program is that it was a safe place to share my experiences, thoughts, and concerns. I also enjoyed listening about where others worked in the hospital and the experiences they had there. The RN Residency program made me aware of all the different resources available to me as a nurse here at Cincinnati Children's.” - Jennifer Hall, MSN, RN
“The RN Residency Program at Cincinnati Children's provided me with an invaluable, hands-on learning experience. In my first year of being a nurse, I was able to work with a team to identify an improvement area within my division, and complete an evidence-based research project/video at the residency completion ceremony. It was also presented to the leadership team within the division of psychiatry at their leadership meeting. The residency program truly helped me to start my career off right by encouraging questions and critical thinking, providing me with an opportunity to discuss successes and challenges with peers, facilitating interaction with many different disciplines, dedicating time and support for learning to use available resources, and showing me Cincinnati Children’s commitment to changing the outcome.” - Heather Morath, BBA, BSN, RN