UTMC Residency Program Supports New Nurses

UTMC Residency Program Supports New Nurses

A new yearlong residency program at The University of Toledo Medical Center is helping empower early career nurses as they transition from nursing school to professional caregivers.

The program, which UTMC launched last year, pairs newly licensed nurses with experienced mentors and nurse educators to build their confidence, further their clinical education and ensure their career success.

"The first year in practice as an RN is the most challenging year for any nurse," said Kurt Kless, UTMC's chief nursing officer. "You're a licensed professional being held to a standard you've never been held to before and often coming across scenarios that weren't deeply covered in nursing school. We do everything we can to make that transition as smooth as possible. We have a roadmap that gets you from day one all the way to the end of month 12."

The residency program's first cohort - comprised of 25 RNs - graduated Thursday, July 18.

UTMC's residency program was developed in partnership with Vizient and is accredited through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

The program begins with several weeks of general orientation before the new nurses break out into their specific areas of practice. Nurses receive a mixture of floor observation, classroom sessions and hands-on skill development in the University's Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center. In addition to practical knowledge, there is a strong emphasis on soft skills like professional communication, critical thinking and delegation.

Residents come back together monthly for group reflection where they can ask questions, discuss things they've seen while rounding and build camaraderie with their peers.

All residents also complete an individual evidence-based practice project, which is presented at the end of the program.

"This is a big investment in our new nurses, and it shows our commitment to being a place people come not just to work, but to keep learning," Kless said. "Education is a significant part of our culture and this is one more way we can support that mission from the very beginning."

Vizient's residency program - now in its 20th year - is used by some of the nation's top ranked hospitals, including Emory, Johns Hopkins and Massachusetts General.

Kless said there's strong data showing hospitals that participate in the Vizient program see improved quality of care and patient experience metrics, as well as higher retention rates among new nurses.

A 2023 report from the company, for example, found more than 87% of new graduates hired in 2021 who participated in the residency program were still on the job one year later, compared with a national average of 67%.

UTMC is the only hospital in metro Toledo that offers the Vizient/AANC Residency Program.

"When we go out into area schools and we talk about what UTMC has to offer, there are a lot of questions from students about how supported they will be in their new role," said Dustin Ballinger, a registered nurse and clinical recruiter specialist for UTMC. "This residency program is a differentiator for us. It shows that we take those extra steps to ease their transition into the professional workforce."

The residency program is currently offered for inpatient units and the Emergency Department. Kless said work is underway to expand it to include nurses working in the operating room and surgical services, as well as outpatient clinics.