Connect

Beginning April 7, UVA Community Health will introduce exciting expansions to its Nurse Residency Program, led by Residency Professional Development Practitioners (RPDPs) Yolanda Chaneyfield, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, (below. left) and Suzanne McClurg, BSN, RN, (below, right) from the Clinical Professional Development (CPD) Department.

By expanding the program from six months to a full year, the Residency Professional Development team has opened opportunities for additional curriculum, presentations, projects, and experiential learning opportunities designed to better support and prepare nurse residents. The expanded program incorporates evidence-based curriculum, interdisciplinary presenters, dedicated resources, and more.

The primary goal of the Nurse Residency Program is to prepare and empower nurses as they transition into professional practice by cultivating the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to deliver exceptional, evidence-based care. This effort supports the overall UVA Health mission by fostering a culture of continuous learning, resilience, and wellbeing that enables nurses to thrive personally and professionally as they grow into compassionate, competent healthcare leaders.

Clinical Professional Development Director Gayla Goleman , DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CPN, highlights several, impactful additions made possible by the program’s expansion: “We are adding new content to support not only clinical skills development, but also critical thinking, resilience and wellbeing, and communication skills. We've also moved to cohort hiring, which ensures residents start around the same time and really get to know their peers. This shared experience helps establish a meaningful support system further strengthened through our mentorship program and ongoing access to dedicated RPDP support.”

Alongside the expanded timeline, the curriculum has been significantly enhanced. Residents will complete an evidence-based quality improvement project. RPDPs are incorporating several interactive learning opportunities such as simulations, games, escape rooms, and even a mock trial.

Moving forward, they are working to be named a Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP), which is an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) designation aligned with Magnet® accreditation. PTAP establishes the global standard for nurse residency programs and demonstrates an organization’s commitment to evidence-based interventions that improve the competence, confidence, and safety of newly licensed nurses.

Data shows this accreditation results in structured training and safety, improved patient outcomes, enhanced recruitment and retention, and the development of a positive, supportive work environment. “Organizations with PTAP accreditation have higher overall retention rates, which is huge in a field from which nearly 31% may leave within two years, saving significant turnover costs.” says Goleman. “Improved retention isn’t just about financial savings — it’s about preserving the expertise and experience nurses bring to patient care and to their teams.”

Expanding on this, Goleman adds, “In alignment with the data around PTAP, we hope to improve one- and two-year nurse retention, increase nurse resident job satisfaction, and increase nurse resident confidence in clinical skills.”

As the team works toward accreditation, the Nurse Residency Program will continue to prioritize their core programmatic goals: building clinical confidence, developing competent nurses who practice independently, promoting collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, and showing everyday practice of UVA Health’s ASPIRE values through the successful progression from Clinician I to Clinician II.