Nurse Residency Program
The Billings Clinic Nurse Residency program supports newly registered nurses through the transition from student to competent professional nurse during the first year of practice. The one-year program provides graduate nurses with the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver competent, safe, and effective patient-centered care. Nurse Residents are full-time employees who are eased into the role of professional nurse under the guidance and support of:
- Unit preceptors
- Education Development Specialists
- Unit Management Teams
- Nurse Resident Specialists
Learning Environment
Nurse Residents form a strong connection with the Nurse Residency Team. The program consists of guided learning activities, opportunities to identify essential resources, and reflective debrief sessions. Competency attainment centers on:
- Communication
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Safety
- Quality Improvement
- Evidence-base Practice
- Patient Centered Care
- Professionalism
- Leadership
- Systems-based Practice
- Informatics & Technology
Evidence-based Practice
Nurse Residents build scholarly inquiry skills while researching and developing an Evidence-based project. These research projects are presented to hospital leaders and educators during the graduation ceremony. Members of the Nursing Research Council (NRC) and the Collaborative Science & Innovation team collaborate with Nurse Residents to refine and advance their project ideas.
Photo: Hannah Blodgett from ICC presents her EBP project before a team of hospital leaders.
Eligibility
Who is Eligible?
- All new grad nurses are accepted into the program (ADN, BSN, Accelerated BSN, or MSN)
- New graduates with less than 12 months working RN experience
Program Expectations and Requirements
- Montana RN license to start employment
- Commit to one year of monthly didactic sessions
- Participate in orientation progress meetings with the preceptor, nurse residency specialists, and clinical leadership team
- Develop and present an evidence-based project at the end of Year 1
Nurse Residency Topics
Technical (Clinical Skills)
- IVs
- Tubes
- Lines
- Drains
- Head to Toe Assessment
- Fall Assessments
- Skin/Wound/Ostomy Assessment & Care
- Pulmonary and Cardiac Assessments
- Blood Transfusions
- Medication Safety
- Responding to Changes in Patient Condition
- Oversedation
- Pain Management
Relational Skills
- Role Transition
- Time Management
- Delegation/Prioritization
- Self-Care
- Difficult Communication
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Informatics
- Quality Improvement
- Stress Management
- Critical Thinking/Reasoning
- Patient & Employee Safety
- Leadership Skills
- Evidence Based Practice
- Ethics
- End of Life Patient Care
- Relational Coordination
- Patient-Centered Care
- Utilizing Inter-professional Teams
- Resources & Services
- Professionalism
- Lateral Violence Prevention
- Diversion Prevention
- Shared Governance
- Finding Your Voice in Your Unit
Learn more