UNM Hospitals Post-Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Program

To support the transition of baccalaureate graduate nurses to direct care roles, the University of New Mexico Hospitals is pleased to announce that we now offer the UHC/AACN Nurse Residency Program.  Using Patricia Benner's theoretical framework from her book From Novice to Expert - Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice, this is a standardized one-year program which provides both clinical and didactic support for post baccalaureate nurses in an academic medical center environment.

Nurses who have completed the residency program report a significant increase in their ability to organize, prioritize and deliver safe care.  They also report a significant increase in communication and leadership ability.  At the same time, these nurses have reported decreased stress levels.  For more information on UHC, please go to http://www.uhc.edu/

Criteria for Admission

  • graduation from an accredited BSN program within the previous six months
  • RN licensure or pending licensure
  • commitment to completing all UHC outcomes tools

Resident Expectations

  • commit to full time employment for a minimum of two years
  • fulfill all the obligations of a first year member of the professional nursing staff
  • adhere to all institutional guidelines
  • develop and utilize mentoring relationships that promote professional development
  • actively participate in general and specialized learning experiences
  • provide and evaluate care incorporating quality, research and evidence-based practice
  • complete demographic and outcomes measurement tools and all evaluations of the program, preceptors and educators during the prescribed time frame
  • develop effective decision-making skills related to clinical judgment and performance
  • incorporate research-based evidence linked to outcomes into practice

Key Components

  • follows orientation to nursing in the institution and unit
  • core content provided either in classes or other systematically designed experiences
  • systematic opportunities for access to expert resident facilitators

Curriculum

  • Critical thinking
  • Patient safety
  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Research-based practice
  • Professional development