The Nurse Residency Program at Penn Medicine is a twelve-month program designed to support nursing school graduates as they transition into their first professional nursing role. The program consists of a series of work and learning experiences that emphasize and develop the clinical and leadership skills necessary for the advanced beginner nurse to become a successful part of the health care team.
The mission of the NRP at Penn Medicine is to provide support and emphasize the development of clinical and leadership skills necessary for the advanced beginner nurse to transition to a successful member of the interprofessional team. The program includes an emphasis on the professional nursing role, leadership skill development, patient care outcomes, and evidence-based practice.
The program goals state that at the conclusion of the NRP at Penn Medicine, the nurse resident will:
- Transition from entry-level advanced beginner to competent professional nurse who provides safe, quality care.
- Develop effective decision making skills related to clinical judgment and performance.
- Develop strategies to incorporate researched-based and other evidence into practice.
- Develop clinical leadership skills at the point of patient care.
- Practice collaboratively as a member of the interprofessional healthcare team.
- Formulate an individual professional development that promotes a life-long commitment to professional nursing.
The expected outcomes of the NRP are that the nurse resident will:
- Maintain employment at Penn Medicine for a minimum of one year
- Attend all NRP seminars
- Complete an evidence-based practice / performance improvement project related to patient, professional, or organizational outcomes
- Demonstrate competency in the delivery of safe patient care through meeting professional practice standards
The Nurse Residency Program at Penn Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and participates in the Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ curriculum, which utilizes Patricia Benner’s well-known theoretical framework from her book From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. The program includes an emphasis on:
- Critical thinking
- Patient safety and minimizing risk
- Leadership
- Communication
- Evidence-based practice
- Patient- and family-centered care
- Professional development
Participating nurses receive a full salary and an excellent benefits package, as well as dedicated preceptors and faculty for guidance and support throughout the program.
Postings for nursing positions are available under Career Opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria
Upon hire as a new-to-practice nurse, you will be automatically enrolled into the Nurse Residency at Penn Medicine Program. The curriculum is delivered in addition to nursing orientation. Nurses who meet the following criteria are eligible for Nurse Residency at Penn Medicine:
- First nursing role or less than 6 months of professional RN experience in another role
- Graduated from a prelicensure nursing program that is accredited within the last 12 month prior to admission into the Nurse Residency Program
- Valid RN licensure in the state of employment
- Willingness to participate in learning seminars over the twelve-month program
Please note that there is not a separate application for the Nurse Residency Program.
Program Locations
The Nurse Residency at Penn Medicine Program is available at the following Penn Medicine locations:
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP)
- Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC)
- Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH)
- Good Shepherd Penn Partners Rehabilitation (GSPP)
- Chester County Hospital (CCH)
- Lancaster General Health (LGH)
- Princeton Medical Center (PMPH)
- Penn Medicine Medical Group ( PMMG)
- Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania (CPUP)
- Penn Primary Care (PPC)
- Penn Specialty Practices (PSP)
The employee-based nurse residency program at Penn Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.