The UCSD Nurse Residency Program is a learner-centered post-graduate experience designed to support the transition from student to professional competent nurse. The purpose of the Nurse Residency Program is to recruit and retain new graduate nurses via a thorough and high quality orientation experience. Residents receive the support they need for success throughout the first year of practice. In addition, new graduate nurses gain a better overall understanding of the organization and the opportunities for further professional development. Participants benefit from classroom instruction, patient simulation scenarios, hands on skills training, mentoring, and much more.
The Nurse Residency Program’s framework is based on the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program and the five Model Components.
1. Transformational Leadership – The new graduates will have the opportunity to meet and learn from organizational leaders with powerful visions, influential experiences, and clinical expertise related to professional nursing practice.
2. Structural Empowerment – The nurse residency program was developed to be in line with UCSD’s Mission and Vision as well as our core values of quality, caring, integrity, creativity, and teamwork. Courses aim to strengthen nursing practice and empower nurses to accomplish personal and professional goals.
3. Exemplary professional Practice – Based on Patricia Benner’s Theory of Novice to Expert, new graduates begin as advanced beginners in their transition from academia to clinical practice. The nurse residency program assists the nurses along this continuum by education based on current trends in nursing education and by addressing diverse learning needs.
The Nurse Residency Program is linked to a committee of frontline nurses who teach the program content. The committee members participate in educational activities supported by clinical experts and Clinical Nurse Educators to acquire the skills and tools they will need to provide an evidence based, quality program. The committee titled “New Graduate Education Committee” commits to their own professional development over an eighteen month period and become experts on content topics taught to the nurse residence. Each member is then provided the opportunity to promote from CN II to CNIII by successfully completing and submitting professional portfolios.
4. New Knowledge, Innovation, and Improvements – The nurse residency program is evaluated on an annual basis to reflect resident needs and changes in nursing education and health care.
5. Empirical Quality results – Retention of new graduates that have participated in the program is the outcome measure that is maintained to ensure program success. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal will be used to assess performance improvement in the new graduate nurse before and after the program.
New graduates do not need to apply to the Nurse Residency Program. Once a new graduate nurse is hired they are automatically enrolled. Nurse Residency Program start dates are offered four times a year.
If you have questions about new grad job openings or the application process, please contact either Monica Redmond, UCSD Medical Center Nurse Recruiter at Hillcrest, at moredmond@ucsd.edu or Lindsay Vidoni, UCSD Medical Center Nurse Recruiter at Thornton, at lvidoni@ucsd.edu.
If you have questions or comments about the UCSD Nurse Residency Program, please contact us at (nurseresidency@ucsd.edu). We hope to see you soon!
2009 – 2010 Nurse Residency Program Start Dates
August 3, 2009
October 26, 2009
Feb1, 2010
May 10, 2010
NRP COHORT 1 SCHEDULE
NRP COHORT 2 SCHEDULE