Sovah Health - Nurse Residency Program

Sovah Health launched a new nurse residency program earlier this year, which is based on an apprenticeship model, the evidence-based transition-to-practice program provides hands-on, structured support for nurses as they graduate from nursing school and start their careers at Sovah.

In talking with students, schools, and recruiters to understand what is most important to new nurses in choosing their first job, three consistent themes emerge more than any others – a structured program to support their transition, a clear career pathway for advancement and growth, and regular engagement and feedback from their team.

“This evidence-based transition-to-practice program, based on an apprenticeship model, provides the right training and resources to help our new nurses develop into confident, competent, and resilient caregivers and thrive in their careers,” said Lindsay Crumpton, Market Chief Nursing Officer at Sovah Health.

All new graduate nurses joining Sovah Health are automatically enrolled in the program on day one. They are guided and supported by experienced nurse preceptors and mentors through three structured phases in their first year:

1. Clinical Competence
2. Culture Transition
3. Leadership Development

The program culminates in the completion of a Capstone project, which ties together the resident’s first year of work, individually and with their team, and demonstrates the personal impact they have made in the workplace.

“One of our main goals for the RN Apprenticeship Program is to make sure the new graduate RNs are aware of their resources by gaining knowledge and skills from the experts in our facility. In doing this, they learn the most up to date Evidence Based Practices. The new graduates go on “field trips” to different areas in the hospital to learn how all the disciplines work together to focus on the needs of the patient as the forefront of their practice. We want the new graduates to feel well supported so, as the Nurse Residency Coordinator, rounding on units with nurse residents to offer individual support and to see how they are doing is a vital part of the program. They are also assigned a mentor for additional guidance throughout their first year,” said Pamela Cornell, Nurse Residency Coordinator.

This program, which is a Registered Apprenticeship Program with the US Department of Labor, was piloted in several Lifepoint Health locations last year and has experienced great results already. In fact, upon completion of the program, 93% of nurses were still working at their facilities, which is remarkable considering some studies have shown 20-30% of new nurses leaving their jobs in the first year.

“Some of the highlights of this program are staying in contact with friends and peers from school, building on knowledge, and always having a mentor or someone checking in on me to see how life is going as a new nurse,” said Adrieka Thomas, a recent graduate of the program.

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