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The UVA Health University Medical Center Nurse Residency Program (NRP) is a year-long orientation program with evidence-based curriculum to support new graduates’ first professional nursing role. The curriculum is structured around Patricia Benner's From Novice to Expert theory, which recognizes new nurses as "advanced beginners" who recently completed their nursing education and passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Best Place to Work

NRP includes monthly classes on topics essential to developing a solid nursing practice such as medication safety, end-of-life care, sepsis management, and much more. “New grads get to meet influential UVA Health University Medical Center team members and other nurses,” explains Suzanne Jenkins, MSN, RN, CNL, PCCN, CMSRN, Nurse Residency Program Coordinator. “The program gives them a chance to support each other, make friends, and be part of our UVA Health community. Forming a community as a new graduate nurse is critical to team building and creating a supportive work environment.” 

Her own career in nursing began in 2012 when Jenkins herself entered UVA Health NRP. She credits her experience then with crucially shaping her success as a nurse and influencing her drive to support new graduate nurses as they settle into their first year working as nurses. Over the years, her experiences in clinical and academic environments gave her a unique perspective on the challenges faced by new nurses. 

Record Hiring

In 2024, UVA Health University Medical Center hired more than 350 Clinician 1s, or new graduate nurses — a record for University Medical Center, says Nurse Residency Program Manager Ronni Rothwell, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE: “That caused us to grow our program leadership, because we needed more hands on deck to lift and support that vast number of new graduate nurses."

The team now includes Rothwell and three Nurse Residency Program Coordinators: Jenkins, Tiffany Wells, and Briana Jacobs, RN. A fifth team member is being recruited. 

Six Updates

An essential aspect of NRP’s growth has been its adaptability, with ideas for new content coming from across University Medical Center. “We are constantly updating — based on what we hear from leadership — our clinical outcomes data and our new graduate nurses,” explains Rothwell. A few examples of recent updates to the program:

• Patient De-Escalation | NRP leadership learned through post-class surveys that participants wished there had been a session on how to handle difficult patients. “It's not an issue we’re very comfortable with at first, because we don’t manage it day in and day out like psychiatry nurses do,” explains Jenkins. Thanks to this feedback, the nurse manager of the inpatient psychiatry unit now comes to class and facilitates a session on patient de-escalation.
• Self-Care | Upon their arrival to NRP, all participants receive a copy of the textbook, "Self-Care for New Nurses: Small Doses for Wellness" by former UVA School of Nursing Dean Dorrie K. Fontaine, PhD, RN, FAAN; Tim Cunningham, RN, DrPH, FAAN; and Natalie May, PhD. “We have developed curriculum and activities around the book to help our new nurses have resources for their own wellness,” says Rothwell.
• Blood Transfusion Administration | After learning from leadership about several “Be Safe” events involving blood transfusions, NRP invited clinical experts in blood transfusion administration to talk to and train new nurses.
• My Manager, My Ally | Knowing it can be challenging for any new team member to talk to their manager about something they’re struggling with, NRP began bringing nurse managers into the classroom for open dialogue. It’s been a win-win: new nurses learn how in-depth the nurse manager role is and how they fit in to the team, while nurse managers get to know new graduate nurses and make real connections. 
• Clin 2 Panel |  “I want to know how to handle switching back and forth from day to night shift.” “I need tips on how to communicate better with my PCT.” After receiving this type of feedback in after-program surveys, NRP came up with a new, hour-long Q&A session with Clin 2s. “We wanted our new graduate nurses to know that our Clin 2s are here to help,” says Jenkins. “They can ask any questions they may have — and they'll get an honest, unfiltered response.”
• Life Skills Class | Held for the first time in November 2024, the voluntary "Life Skills Make Good Choices" event (photos below) kicked off with complimentary breakfast and door prizes. Participants learned practical skills in personal finance, vehicle maintenance, mental health, and fire safety from local volunteer experts. At a presentation on UVA Health benefits, new nurses could ask questions and get advice. A "What to Do in Charlottesville" presentation included guidance on housing for international nurses and others new to the area. Most importantly, the event offered a platform for networking and community-building among new nurses.

'The Wellness of Our Nursing Team Is a High Priority'

With strong leadership, support, and out-of-the-box thinking, NRP will continue to evolve and adapt, providing new nurses with the latest tools they need to thrive in their careers and their lives outside University Medical Center.

“Here at UVA Health, the wellness of our nursing team is a high priority, and we are thinking more strategically about what nurses need to balance life and work,” says Karin Skeen, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, UVA Health Univeristy Medical Center Associate Chief Nursing Officer. “If we can reduce or prevent stress through offerings such as life skills training, we consider that a win!”