As you work to complete your education, you may be wondering what’s next. There’s no doubt that your residency studies are going to play a big role in the work you do in the future. It even sets the tone for what’s to come. At Eisenhower Health, we encourage our residents to embrace this opportunity to ensure they get it right.
How do you navigate this step in the process? Here are some aspects of your nursing residency that you need to think about before making any decisions.
What Is a Nurse Residency Program (NRP)?
A nursing residency is a formal, clinical training program designed for graduated nursing students. It provides a structured and supportive environment to help a person go from being a student to working in their first nursing role.
Your nursing program offers a range of tools to help you at Eisenhower Health. That includes providing you with a hands-on learning environment within a classroom. This is where you learn how to take on the responsibilities and complete the necessary tasks in a safe, controlled environment. You also are likely to engage in clinical and professional development content designed to provide you with even more learning and opportunities.
What Options Interest You the Most?
There are a lot of opportunities for you to choose a residency program that interests you. This ultimately allows you to choose the type of environment you wish to work in within the nursing field. This could include, for example, an emergency medicine residency and an opportunity to work in the fast-paced and often critically important field of ER medicine.
Some people want to pursue an internal medicine residency, while others are interested in family medicine. You have several options to choose from based on your specific career goals or what interests you right now.
Should You Enter a Residency Program?
There are a range of reasons why you may want to commit to a nursing residency program. Ultimately, not every graduate student pursues this path, but there are some key reasons why you may want to do so.
- It provides you with a better experience in a more controlled environment. Because many nursing graduate students become overwhelmed, there is high turnover at this point in a person’s career. Through a residency, you’re eased into it.
- You’ll have access to mentors as well as support groups. There is a lot of networking that can occur in these residency programs, too. That type of connection is important not just for where you go next but also to build your career in a way that works for you.
- Build your resume right from the start of your career. Some employers value those individuals who have completed a residency program. They may be more prepared and can become an asset to their team sooner.
Residency programs could help to increase your confidence. They may help you learn in areas that interest you that you did not have a good level of training in before. They even help you to develop relationships with people that could last for years to come.
Finding the Right Residency Program for You
At Eisenhower Health, we provide a range of tools to support you in determining if residency is a good choice for you and, if so, how you can choose a program that fits your goals. Consider a few tips.
Think about what your needs are. What interests you the most? Do you want to work with a certain group of people, or are you looking for the fast-paced ER because you love to be challenged? Where do you want to be in five years? How about 20 years?
Consider the programs being offered. What interests you about them? Which programs seem like they could be a good fit for your future? Are you facing any concerns about your career? Which residency program could help you?
What to Expect Moving Forward
At Eisenhower Health, our Nurse Residency Program aims to provide you with the experience and support you need to get the results you want. Visit our California location or reach out to us, and we’ll be here to answer all of your questions and help you make a decision that fits your future. Learn more about our Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation New Graduate RN Nurse Residency Program – Nursing here.
Originally posted on 6/10/2022