St. Mary Nurse Residency Program

The purpose of this policy is to define the Nurse Residency Program and requirements. 

The purpose of the SMMC Nurse Residency Program is to partner with the VIZIENT/AACN Nurse Residency program to help facilitate

1. Successful transition of nurse residents from novice nurses into competent professional nurses
2. Nurse resident experience with integrating evidence based practice and nursing research to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes
3. Nurse residents recognition of the importance of having a professional development plan

All new graduate BSN prepared nurses, internal or external applicants, who are hired into a nursing position must participate in the St. Mary Medical Center Nurse Residency Program and must sign the program agreement. 

All internal new graduate ADN prepared nurses, who are hired into a nursing position must participate in the Nurse Residency Program and must sign the program agreement. *External ADN prepared new grads will NOT be eligible for hire (external means not currently employed by St. Mary Medical Center). 

New graduate BSN prepared nurses are recently graduated (with less than 1 year since original nursing school graduation) and PA licensed RN's. 

New graduate ADN* prepared nurses are recently graduated (with less than 1 year since original nursing school graduation) and PA licensed RN's. *ADN prepared candidates are internal applicants only. 

New graduate BSN prepared nurses must be hired into open RN positions. 

New graduate ADN prepared nurses must be hired into open RN positions. 

If there are more internal new graduate BSN/ADN prepared nurses than there are positions, job applicants will be selected via a series of interviews for the position—time and attendance or disciplinary issues will disqualify the applicant from being hired. In the event of having more Internal job applicants than open positions, External job applicants will not be considered for hire.

We can only hire New Graduate BSN/ADN Prepared nurses based on the open number of positions available, not based on the number of applicants. This essentially means we cannot guarantee New Graduate BSN/ADN Prepared internal nursing applicants a job.

Internal and external new graduate BSN/ADN prepared nurses will be paid the current RN entry rate upon hire into a RN position and will be additionally paid to attend the course work and activities required to fulfill the obligations and expectations of the St. Mary BSN Nurse Residency Program. 

The St. Mary Medical Center Nurse Residency Program opens monthly for new enrollment. Nurse Managers ensure that New Graduate BSN/ADN Nurses placed into the nurse residency program are not scheduled to work the night before attending classes and are not scheduled to work during any additional nurse residency events. 

Each nurse resident placed into the residency program is expected to:

1. BSN GRADS: To hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing and a professional nursing license for the State of Pennsylvania.
2. BSN GRADS: Commit to full-time employment for a minimum of two years and must complete all portions of this nurse residency program before changing employment status (employment status means required work hours per pay period).
3. Commit to the unit of hire for six months.

4. Fulfill all of the professional obligations of a first year member of the professional nursing staff on the unit/department where employed. This includes the completion of: 
    

   a. Hospital Orientation

   b. Nursing Orientation

   c. Unit-Specific Orientation

   d. All specialized training/education required to work on the unit of hire including resuscitation certifications.

5. Adhere to all institutional guidelines, policy, procedure and protocols.

6. Represent St. Mary Medical Center and the Department of Nursing, both inside and outside of the organization, professionally by living and upholding the St. Mary/Trinity Health System Standards of Behavior, Code of Conduct and organizational values.

   Each nurse resident placed in the residency will fulfill the following nurse residency program obligations:

   1. Proactively manage assigned unit/department schedule to ensure attendance at all required nurse residency program learning experiences and activities.
   2. Attend and actively participate in all required nurse residency learning experiences including attendance at the residency completion celebration.

   3. Complete all required nurse residency program projects: 
       

      a. Exemplars

      b. Case Studies

      c. Critiques

      d. Presentations

      e. Performance improvement evidenced based project

   4. Complete all required nurse residency program assessment tools at the beginning, middle and end of the 1-year residency program.
   5. Commit to the confidentiality agreement regarding the Tales from the Bedside portion of the program.

1. Apply online for an open RN position one month prior to the start of the program.
2. Meet all eligibility requirements outlined under Policy Section.
3. If hired, sign the St. Mary Medical Center Nurse Residency Program Document and return original copy to the Education Department.

If interested, please download and sign the Nurse Residency Program form.