St. John’s Episcopal Hospital Launches Nurse Residency Program
Far Rockaway, New York, September 18, 2024 — Recent nursing graduates who join St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, part of Episcopal Health Services (EHS), will benefit from comprehensive on-the-job training thanks to a new Nurse Residency Program. The initiative, offered through the New York City Nursing Project in partnership with Vizient, is accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and funded by New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Talent & Workforce Development Division.
The 12-month Nurse Residency program pairs new nursing hires with preceptors to provide training and enhance their skills in an acute setting. The program also reviews policies and procedures to ensure new nurses are well-prepared for their duties.
“The Nurse Residency program provides support for recent graduates transitioning from a school setting to practice,” said Keisha-Ann Wisdom, DHA, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, EHS Senior Vice President of Patient Services & Chief Nursing Officer. “It allows for carved out time in a controlled environment to learn and enhance the skills needed to care for patients effectively, while also beginning the journey towards evidence-based practice and nursing research.”
A highlight of the program is monthly scheduled networking sessions designed to ease the transition of new nurses into their roles. During these sessions, new hires are taken out of the clinical environment and brought to a classroom setting to be educated on health equity, evidence-based practice, wellness, and team-based nursing. The dedicated classroom time also allows time for reflection and confidential discussions about the progress of the training.
“By participating in this program, nurses are better equipped to solve problems, feel more satisfied in their roles and are more likely to continue their careers with Episcopal Health Services,” said Denise Potts, DNP, MSN-Ed, RNC, EHS Assistant Vice President of Professional Practice.
The Nurse Residency Program will complement the health system’s traditional nursing orientation and training, ensuring new team members begin their journey at EHS in a nurturing and supportive environment.
About Episcopal Health Services
Episcopal Health Services Inc., (EHS) is a health system located on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, New York. The system provides emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse, and medically underserved Rockaways and Five Towns populations. The system provides people of all faiths with comprehensive preventive, diagnostic treatment, and rehabilitative services, regardless of their ability to pay.