Following the recommendations of the Institutes of Medicine, in October 2015, Parkview Health began a nurse residency program for all new graduate nurses. Johnathan Liechty, MBA, BSN, RN-BC, manager, Clinical Staff Development, Parkview, (25 years of experience at Parkview), and Brianna Graham, BSN, RN, ONC, supervisor, clinical staff development, Parkview Health, (18 years of experience at Parkview), tell us more.
What are some of the benefits of the program?
- The Parkview Nurse Residency Program enhances the well-being of the nurse through increased engagement, education and empowerment.
- If you’ve been a nurse less than a year, the transition to practice is challenging. What you see in the academic world compared to what you see in a patient population is very different. The residency program helps first year nurses be better prepared, empowered and confident in their abilities as a nurse. It also prepares them for the reality of what they will experience in their work environment.
- It improves nursing excellence, so the patient receives this benefit directly. The patient will notice that the nurse taking care of them is comfortable, knowledgeable and giving them a higher level of service.
Who goes through this program?
Every RN at a Parkview hospital that has recently graduated from their nursing program and is still in their first year of practice.
What does it involve?
During their time in the residency program, they’ll see numerous aspects of the health system so they’re more well-rounded in their ability to provide efficient, effective and excellent care. They’ll see how they as an individual contribute to the overall strategic goals of the organization. They’ll receive ongoing education about Magnet®, and what it means to exist moving forward in a Magnet organization. They learn the Parkview strategic goals, initiatives, standards, transformational leadership, etc.
The curriculum is designed to support an enhanced patient experience and improved safety and quality, all based on best practices and evidence-based practices. The participants also go through testing to show their growth and progress.
Who instructs the residency seminars?
Faculty from area universities and experts from across Parkview departments, including leaders, educators, pharmacy, legal, holistic nursing, rehab therapies and public safety. We utilize the true experts in their respective areas. Tours of pharmacy are included to show nurses exactly where their orders are going and how they’re processed.
How long are nurses in residency?
About 16 months. Parkview just graduated the 14th cohort. Residency consists of 12 seminars, meeting on a monthly basis.
Why would you recommend this program?
In school, students learn how to take care of patients and how to improve their health, but what they haven’t always learned is how to deal comfortably with end of life, palliative care, etc. The residency program incorporates instruction/education on “real life” areas of need like this.
Residents will then go back to the unit and share what they’re learning with others on their unit.
Residency is truly accelerating the nurses’ development. They meet on a monthly basis, support each other, listen and engage with each other in their cohort. They’re forming connections throughout the entire system – whether they’re in Allen County or one of our community hospitals. This is truly pulling the health system together as a family.
When nurses go through hard times, they can help pull each other through. They didn’t become nurses because it’s easy, but rather, because it’s needed. If you’re standing still, you’re moving backwards. We would give anything to know then what we know now so why not pass what we’ve learned along?
The Nurse Residency Program will eventually be headquartered at the new Parkview Education Center when it opens in late October. The new location will give nurse residency a centralized location and support developing more hands-on skills.
Magnet® is a registered trademark of the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
