Education

Learn more about the Northern Arizona Healthcare Nurse Residency Program

To participate in the NAH Nurse Residency Program you must be new to nursing, newly licensed or just graduated nursing school. All other RNs with experience of any kind do not fall into this category without approval of the nurse residency coordinator. You must also adhere to the following program expectations:

  • Demonstrate a strong desire to learn.
  • Participate in all learning environments – clinical, online and classroom.
  • Ability to complete module assignments on time as assigned by the residency coordinator.
  • Professional expectations such as punctuality, avoidance of unexcused absences, respectful behavior, appropriate classroom etiquette and completion of residency components.
  • No or limited vacation time during the residency program/preceptorship unless prior approval by the director of the education department.
  • Score 80% or greater on all modules and final exams.

Special accommodations will be made for individual learner needs, these arrangements must be made prior to first day of class.

Based on graduation dates, nurse residents will begin orientation on multiple different start dates throughout the year. This start date will be agreed upon by the employee candidate, recruiter and hiring manager.

Nurse Residents will participate in New Colleague & RN Orientation, as well as Cerner Electronic Medical Record, or EMR, training and basic EKG interpretation. This training is accomplished in the first week of orientation.

NAH provides a hybrid and dynamic learning environment including clinical application, asynchronous and synchronous learning environments for the nurse resident, suited to all types of learners, regardless of specialty area – Medical/Surgical nursing, Emergency Department, and Adult or Pediatric Critical Care.


Clinical learning

Clinical learning includes clinical shifts with experienced preceptors; two shifts on the assigned unit per week during module weeks and three shifts per week once modules are completed; preceptor verified competencies at the bedside; and multidisciplinary role observations (Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Department, Cath Lab or Charges, based on unit specialty area).

Clinical orientation timelines are individualized to the learner – orientees may exit orientation when ready when competencies, completion of online learning and safety in the clinical environment are verified. Exit readiness will be assessed by unit based educators, preceptors, clinical managers and orientees.

However, overall average timelines are considered based on specialty area:

  • Medical Surgical/Telemetry Nursing – 8-12 weeks orientation
  • Step-Down/Progressive Care Nursing – 12-16 weeks orientation
  • Critical Care/ED Nursing – 20-24 weeks orientation

Classroom learning (Synchronous)

Classroom learning includes hands-on instruction and return demonstration of skills; high fidelity simulation; classes with expert facilitators; and weekly learning labs – classroom days consisting of integration of expert facilitated discussion, simulation, interactive learning stations and verification of learned content through modules.


Online learning (Asynchronous)

Online learning includes interactive modules through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, or AACN, as part of the Essentials for Critical Care Orientation, or ECCO, with a physiologic, systems based approach.

The ECCO course provides evidence-based content learning at different levels – Intensive Care (ICU) or Progressive Care (PCU) level, using multimedia such as audio, video, and interactive elements. Content is reviewed and built by critical care nurses across the country and has received a Silver Excellence in Learning Award through the Brandon Hall Group – Human Capital Managementprogram.

The ECCO course also offers facility-specific modules to help the resident apply nursing care at NAH.


Interested in additional NAH training programs?

Some individual departments have their own requirements for entry, including the Special Care Nursery, Operating Room, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Cardiac Cath Lab and Guardian Air. Contact us to learn more.