Nurse Residency Program

Purpose

The Nurse Residency Program at UVA Health is designed to prepare new graduate nurses (Clinician 1 nurses) during their transition to practice helping them become:

• Competent
• Confident

While ensuring they are:

• Enculturated into hospital standards
• Prepared for the emotional challenges of nursing

The program curriculum supports improvements in quality of care and prioritizes patient safety.  The Nurse Residency Program incorporates the nursing process and the ANA Scopes and Standards of Nursing Practice© into the curriculum.  UVA Health's Nurse Residency Program is accredited through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Mission

The program creates an all-encompassing transition into the healthcare setting through socialization to the professional role and acquisition of skills. 

Goals

The goal of the program is to facilitate socialization to the professional role, accelerate the acquisition of skills, and provide an entry point for all new graduate Nurses at UVA Health.

The UVA Health Nurse Residency Program provides an educational, evidence-based curriculum for new graduate RNs, emphasizing patient outcomes, leadership, and the professional RN role by supporting the transition from student nurse to professional nurse.  Nurse Residents participating in the precepted clinical and educational program will be assisted to:

• Develop critical thinking and decision-making skills required to deliver safe, cost-effective patient care
• Collaborate in an interdisciplinary care environment
• Appreciate the broader context and issues in healthcare
• Develop a systematic approach to their professional and career goals

Program Highlights

The Nurse Residency Program is a mandatory 12-month commitment for Clinician 1 RNs. 

• Paid class time
• 4 hours each class
• 12 classes 
• Nursing Contact Hours provided

Nurse Residency Program Manager

Ronni Rothwell, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE

Phone: (434) 465-8920; E-mail: rrm2b@uvahealth.org