About the position
The RN Residency Program at UT Southwestern is designed for new nurse graduates and those with less than 12 months of RN experience. This program offers a comprehensive orientation to help residents transition into professional nursing practice. The residency will begin on February 10, 2025, and is open to BSN graduates from the May 2024, August 2024, and December 2024 graduating classes. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a valid Texas RN license, along with a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from an accredited provider. The program aims to equip residents with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide high-quality patient care across various specialty units, including Emergency Department, Adult Critical Care, ICU Units, Adult Oncology, Adult Progressive Care Units, and Operating Room. During the residency, participants will engage in essential functions such as performing physical, psychosocial, and emotional assessments, developing care plans, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams. Residents will be expected to document their assessments and interventions accurately and timely, prioritize nursing care based on patient needs, and provide education to patients and their families. The program emphasizes critical thinking, effective communication, and adherence to nursing standards and policies. Residents will also have opportunities to participate in performance improvement activities and provide supervision to unlicensed personnel. The application process requires a completed online application, a resume detailing work experience and volunteerism, and an unofficial transcript demonstrating the required GPA. Internal candidates must apply as such and include a letter of recommendation from their current manager. Applications must be submitted by September 16, 2024, and candidates must have their RN license active by February 1, 2025, to participate in the program.
Responsibilities
- Perform and accurately document physical, psychosocial, and emotional assessments considering age-specific criteria.
- Anticipate patients' and/or their families' needs and develop appropriate care plans.
- Utilize critical thinking skills in planning and prioritizing nursing care.
- Identify and implement appropriate nursing interventions based on assessments.
- Complete accurate and timely documentation of nursing interventions.
- Act as an active coordinator of the interdisciplinary plan of care.
- Confer with healthcare team members to share information and observations.
- Promptly identify changes in patient condition and report them appropriately.
- Evaluate implemented interventions and modify care as necessary.
- Adhere to hospital and nursing department policies and standards of practice.
- Provide education to patients and families, ensuring understanding of care plans and discharge instructions.
- Demonstrate effective communication with patients of all ages and their families.
- Participate in performance improvement activities and attend mandatory educational sessions.
- Supervise and direct unlicensed support personnel and new nurses.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Nursing (BSN) from an ACEN or CCNE accredited program or an Associate's degree (ADN) with current UTSW experience.
- Current Texas RN license or enhanced licensure compact (eNLC) license.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA).
- Minimum GPA of 3.0.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience in specialty nursing areas such as critical care or emergency services.
- Previous volunteer experience in healthcare settings.
