I can honestly say that I work for a wonderful hospital that I thoroughly enjoy. The staff I work with makes work life here even that much better. In 2015, my hospital began doing what they call Nurse Residency Program or NRP for short. This program is geared for new graduates only, which is amazing because starting out in the workforce is very difficult with no experience. They originally started with two cohorts per year and are now up to four. I was blessed to be apart of the very first cohort to have walked the halls. Would I do it all over again? You bet! The program has been established to groom new graduate nurses to be properly and competently trained so they have the confidence and knowledge it takes to transition into the professional work force. The old way of thinking that is being transitioned out is to sink or swim and good luck. With programs in place such as the NRP at my hospital, prevents such behavior from occurring. The level of expectation the preceptors have is very high and they get reprimanded in the event they do not appropriately train or treat the new grad. I have been both the NRP nurse and the preceptor and have successfully enjoyed both to no end. There is a set of competency standards in place that have to be met prior to the end of training. The Institute of Medicine reports, “These competencies include leadership, health policy, system improvement, research and evidence-based practice, and teamwork and collaboration, as well as competency in specific content areas including community and public health and geriatrics” (Institute of Medicine, 2010). All the listed competencies from IOM are met with my hospital. I agree with this level of training and understanding because it grooms the new nurse to be the best at all they can be and with confidence and dignity. Furthermore, it enhances the hospitals ability to have the best of the best nurses at the forefront to carry the great name it has worked so hard for. I enjoy this type of program and support it! Have a great week!
-Hanna C.

Institute of Medicine. (2010). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health(pp. 1-4, Publication). doi:http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future of Nursing 2010 Report Brief.pdf