May 9, 2022
Nashua, NH – St. Joseph Hospital today announced the implementation of New Hampshire’s first accredited Nurse Residency program based on the Vizient and American Association of Colleges of Nursing (Vizient/AACN) Nurse Residency Program™. The program is designed to ease the transition of newly graduated nurses from the classroom setting to the clinical practice environment to promote quality, safety and reduce turnover rates for first-year nurses.
The program will be open to all graduating nurses hired by St. Joseph Hospital with licensing from an accredited school. The program takes one year to complete.
“I am very excited about the launch of the first accredited nurse residency program in New Hampshire. It is truly a pleasure to be a part of an organization that values advanced learning for nurses,” states Andrea Erickson, MSN, RN, CNM, Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “It is so important for new nursing graduates to have a group of peers and mentors who assist them in enhancing their skills and becoming comfortable with the challenges of nursing. Our program is evidence based, with positive clinical outcomes that will help not only the nurses, but also our patients.”
The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ has provided healthcare organizations with a transition-to-practice program for new graduate nurses since 2002 and is recognized by the Institute of Medicine as a model program.
“Transitioning into the nursing profession is a challenge for new graduate nurses. They are asked to jump into a difficult role and expand their development quickly, leading to high turnover. We know that it takes a full year to grow their confidence, competence and engagement in the profession and the organization,“ said Evy Olson, Associate Vice President of Nursing Programs at Vizient. “We are pleased that St. Joseph Hospital has made the commitment to support their nurses in their transition into practice and their professional development through a nurse residency program.”
About St. Joseph Hospital
St. Joseph Hospital, a member of Covenant Health, is a 208-bed acute care community hospital located in Nashua, New Hampshire. The main campus features the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies and is supported by a network of primary care providers and specialists focused on delivering personalized medicine. Our hospital is DNV-GL accredited and its extensive services include 24-hour emergency care and a certified stroke program, as well as a Cardiovascular Center, Breast Care Center, Cancer Center and Maternal Child Health Center. To learn more about us, please visit www.stjosephhospital.com.
About The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™
The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ operates at more than 600 healthcare organizations. Since its establishment in 2002, more than 200,000 new graduate nurses have participated in the program. Notably, The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) published The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) report identifying actionable measures that will transform the nursing profession –specifically highlighting the importance of nurse residency programs for nurses entering the transition-to-practice. To-date, the Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program has consistently shown to reduce turnover rates among first-year nurses. For more information, visit The Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ vizientinc.com.