New Graduate Nurse Residency

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

VHC Health Sets a New Standard for Nurse Residency Excellence!

 

VHC Health’s Nurse Residency Program has earned PTAP Accreditation with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest level of recognition awarded through the ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP). VHC Health is proud to be the first hospital in Northern Virginia to achieve this accreditation , building on our distinction as the first PTAP-accredited nurse residency program in Northern Virginia when we initially earned accreditation four years ago. This national recognition reflects VHC Health’s commitment to providing new graduate nurses with a strong transition-to-practice experience, meaningful professional development and the support they need to build confidence and grow their nursing careers.

 

Our New Graduate Nurse Residency Program is designed to give you the support, education and hands-on experience you need to confidently transition from nursing school into professional practice. Through a structured preceptorship on your home unit and monthly cohort sessions, you’ll develop clinical reasoning, decision-making, leadership and evidence-based practice skills while learning alongside other new graduate nurses. Experienced preceptors, nursing leaders, Staff Development Specialists and Advanced Practice Nurses will support you throughout the approximately one-year, paid residency program and beyond. With two residency entries each year, VHC Health provides a supportive, collaborative environment where new nurses can build their skills, grow their confidence and begin a rewarding nursing career.

 

About Us: Located in Arlington, Virginia, VHC Health is a 548-bed, independent, not-for-profit health system and nationally recognized teaching hospital. We have proudly served the Washington, DC metropolitan community for more than 75 years. Consistently ranked among the top hospitals in Virginia and the region, VHC Health has earned recognition as a 2025 Forbes Best-In-State Employer and a 2025 Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. We also hold the prestigious Magnet® designation for nursing excellence. As a Level II Trauma Center, we are committed to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care when it matters most.

 

Goals:

• One of the primary goals of the program is to improve the residents’ critical thinking/clinical reasoning skills and ability to understand and use outcomes data to promote patient safety
• Further develop effective decision-making skills related to clinical judgment and performance
• Provide clinical nursing leadership at the point of care
• Strengthen your commitment to the profession of nursing
• Evolve in the formation of an individual professional development plan
• Incorporate research-based evidence linked to practice outcomes into the care he or she provides

Structure of the residency program:

• Full-time Employment; schedules vary by department
• At least 6-8 weeks of unit-specific orientation and preceptorship will be integrated into program (new graduate RN will work the same schedule as preceptor)
• Program lasts about 1 year and Residents will meet regularly as a cohort once a month for four hours with access to preceptors and expert resident facilitators
• Completion of an evidence-based project
• Mentoring on a professional development plan
• Nurse and program evaluation, including completion of the required Vizient/AACN and institutional surveys

Responsibilities

At VHC Health, every role contributes to exceptional care, better outcomes, and stronger communities.  

In addition to your base compensation, VHC Health offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage (subject to eligibility requirements), as well as additional wellness and retirement benefits designed to support our employees and their families. 

VHC Health is committed to wage transparency and equitable pay practices. The compensation offered for this position—whether expressed as an annual salary or hourly rate—is determined based on a variety of legitimate, non-discriminatory factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, a candidate’s qualifications, relevant training and experience, skill level, shift differentials (where applicable), internal equity, and current market conditions. 

The posted hiring range reflects the range VHC Health, in good faith, believes is appropriate for this role at the time of posting. This range may be adjusted in the future based on business needs or market changes. No portion of compensation is considered earned until it is vested and determined in accordance with the terms of applicable policies and benefit plans. The availability and amount of any bonuses, incentives, or other benefits are subject to the terms of those plans and may be modified at the sole discretion of VHC Health, in accordance with applicable law. 

VHC Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions and lactation), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by law. 

VHC Health maintains a drug-free workplace. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited at all VHC Health locations. 

Qualifications

Purpose & Scope:

Across all levels, the registered professional nurse is responsible for the direct and indirect total nursing care of their assigned patients. The RN is also responsible for the supervision of assigned personnel. The position requires knowledge of both department and hospital policies and procedures relevant to the delivery of nursing care. Interpretive skills, frequent interactive and consultative associations, along with management and supervisory skills are inherent in the position. The ability to retrieve, communicate or otherwise present information in a written, auditory or visual fashion is essential. The primary method to express or exchange ideas is through the spoken word. Written, telephone, and manual dexterity skills are required for this position.

Education:

Associate's in Nursing Required or,

Bachelor's in Nursing Required

Experience:

New Graduate: under one year of Nursing/Patient Care in an acute care setting

Certification/Licensure:

Licensed as a Registered Nurse by the Virginia Department of Health Professions required or,

Compact State Licensure in Nursing required

BLS certification required