Nurse Residency Program: Medical or Surgical Track 2026 (Wilmington & Newark) Fall 2026

Nurse Residency Program

Senior nursing students, nurse graduates, and new RN's, it is time to apply for our Nurse Residency Program: Medical or Surgical Track for both Newark and Wilmington Campuses!

The ChristianaCare Nurse Residency Program is accredited with distinction as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs.

Research demonstrates that new to practice nurses completing a structured and accredited residency program leads to:

• Increase in competency
• Reduction of error
• Reduced self-reported stress
• Increase in job satisfaction

Therefore, we are committed to supporting all registered nurses with under one year of experience through a nurse residency specialty track.

This exciting curriculum integrates:

• Lecture and simulation education
• Peer support
• Up to 16 weeks (as determined by your individual transition to practice needs) of preceptor-led clinical experiences structured to foster critical thinking, evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, effective communication, quality and safety, and professional development.

Our medical and surgical nursing units at Newark and Wilmington campuses serve an adolescent/adult/geriatric population with a wide variety of complex diagnoses and surgical procedures. Nurses having successfully completed the residency will have built a strong foundation for nursing practice in a fast-paced, challenging environment. The preceptor led program followed by continued residency meetings during months 8, 10, and 12 to further develop as professional nurses and integral members of our caregiver team.

Nurse residents are required to pass State Boards and be licensed as a RN in the State of Delaware (or compact state) prior to starting position. Upon hire, a commitment agreement to work at ChristianaCare will be signed. The agreement requires completion of two years within ChristianaCare and 15 months of those two years on the unit of hire. Individuals unable to fill this commitment will be charged $10,000.

What we have to offer to you:

• We are a 4x recognized Magnet Status Hospital!
• Growth Opportunities defined by our Clinical Ladder.
• We offer a robust benefits package. Our healthcare benefits include medical, dental & eyecare, starting day one! Enjoy generous paid time off, paid parental leave, competitive pay with shift differentials, tuition reimbursement. Additional benefits include, dependent care assistance, pet insurance, financial coaching, fitness & wellness reimbursements and discounts on multiple services and events.
• Advance Your Nursing Skills by providing a higher level of care.

Currently, the following Medical units are available (units are subject to change any time based on the needs of the hospital):

• 3A: STAR Unit
• 3C: Medical Stepdown
• 4C: Medical Stepdown
• 5A: Medical Stepdown
• 6A: Medical Adult Care of the Elderly
• 6B: Medical
• 6W: Rehabilitation (Wilmington)
• 5N: Medical Telemetry (Nights Only) (Wilmington)

Currently, the following Surgical units are available (units are subject to change any time based on the needs of the hospital):

• 4D: Surgical
• 4B: Urology/GYN/General Surgical
• 7E: Spine and Surgical Unit
• 4W: Medical and Surgical (Wilmington)

Requirements:

• Graduating from accredited registered nursing school (BSN Preferred)
• BLS required
• Less than 12 months of nursing experience by the start of the program
• Eligible for Delaware license as a Graduate Nurse/Registered Nurse or multi-state RN from a compact state
• Must be willing and able to work all shifts (day, evening, and overnight), including weekends and holidays, during and after the residency program, based on unit staffing and operational needs.

How to apply:

• In the section "My Experience," on the application, be sure to upload your cover letter and transcripts in the section "Resume/CV/Other Documents." PDF format works best.
• Submit a cover letter for the Medical or Surgical Nurse Residency expressing your interest in this specific program/specialty.
• Please address your cover letters to either Cheryl Muffley (Medical) or Debbie Lykens (Surgical)
• Resume
• Transcript (unofficial)
• Two clinical recommendations will be required, but not at the time of the application. If it is determined the minimum qualifications are met, a separate email will be sent from an outside vendor for you to provide us with your clinical instructors' information.

What to Expect After Applying:

• You will be contacted by the Talent Acquisition team regarding next steps, which may include:
• A HeyMilo video interview (required even if you have previously completed a HireVue interview).
• Clinical reference requests through SkillSurvey. Current ChristianaCare caregivers should monitor their work email inbox for the SkillSurvey invitation.
• Please check your junk, spam, and trash folders regularly, as these emails can occasionally be filtered there.

Assessments and Specialty Preferences

• After completing the HeyMilo and Skill Survey assessments, you will receive a form to rank your preferred specialties and/or units.

Application Review

• Your application will be forwarded to the leadership team of your highest-ranked specialty and/or units for review.

Interview Scheduling

• If unit leadership is interested in moving forward, you will receive a scheduling link to arrange an interview or interviews.

Interview Timeline

• Interviews are held every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the month.

In summary: Complete the required assessments, rank your preferred units, await leadership review, interview if selected, and if offered, a decision is needed within 24 hours of the offer.

One audio on-demand interview through Hey Milo and have Two clinical instructor references completed through Skill Survey.

Currently Hiring for Fall 2026 Start Dates:

• October 26th
• November 9th
• November 23rd
• December 7th
• January 4th, 2027

If you have any issues with your application or any inquiries, please contact Cathleen Mengel, the Nurse Residency recruiter at View email address on click.appcast.io.

It is important to note that the DE license process may take 6-8 weeks to complete and the failure to do so will directly impact employees' ability to start a position if an offer is made. We strongly encourage applicants to visit the DE Board of Nursing website and begin the fingerprinting and background check process immediately after you submit your application.

This is a flat rate position, any individual hired into this position will be paid $39.38/hr plus any applicable differentials.

This pay rate/range represents ChristianaCare's good faith and reasonable estimate of compensation at the time of posting. The actual salary within this range offered to a successful candidate will depend on individual factors including without limitation skills, relevant experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

Christiana Care Health System is an equal opportunity employer, firmly committed to prohibiting discrimination, whose staff is reflective of its community, and considers qualified applicants for open positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.