Nurse Residency Program
Structured Residency Program for Nurses
At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, our Nurse Residency Program is a comprehensive transition-to-practice experience designed to support newly licensed registered nurses as they enter the profession with confidence, competence and compassion.
You will be enrolled in a structured, evidence-based program designed by Vizient and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to support your transition to the role of a professional registered nurse. The 12-month curriculum includes monthly seminars, hands-on clinical practice, didactic presentations and opportunities for reflection and peer support.
We also offer a structured Nurse Mentorship Program. We encourage all nurses to choose a mentor following their formal orientation. Many specialties accept new graduates in group cohorts at select dates.
Here are some answers to common questions about our residency programs.
Nurse Residency Opportunities
Residency opportunities are available in general medicine/surgery, and in specialties including cardiology, solid organ transplant, hematology/oncology, neuroscience, and ambulatory nursing.
If you join an incoming cohort, you’ll have the chance to meet other new graduates right away, some of whom may be colleagues on your unit or a similar one.
In their first week, cohort members participate together in onboarding, networking, and team-building activities. Then they start on their home unit to begin 1:1 clinical orientation with a dedicated preceptor.
All new graduates on med-surg general and specialty units continue in 1:1 clinical orientation with a preceptor, focusing on clinical competency and skills. Experienced nurses in a unit-based educator role are available for ongoing education and support.
You’ll join a Transition to Practice Seminar group, which will meet monthly for 12 months. This is a great opportunity to continue your learning off the unit, and to share reflections on your practice with peers and leaders.
Upcoming cohort start date for 2025: Dec. 1; for 2026: Feb. 8, May 31, July 12, Aug. 23, Oct. 4, and Nov. 29 (subject to change). Watch this space to apply.
New graduates may be accepted into residency programs in one of BIDMC’s state-of-the art critical care units, including:
- Med-surg critical care
- Cardiac care
- Cardiac surgery
- Neonatal care
- Neuro critical care
- Trauma critical care
You will receive 1:1 orientation with a dedicated preceptor, focusing on clinical competencies and skills. Experienced nurses in a unit-based educator role are available for ongoing education and support.
In adult units, you’ll complete the Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO) program through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.
Along with other new graduates across BIDMC, you’ll join a Transition to Practice Seminar group, which will meet monthly for 12 months. This is a great opportunity to continue your learning off the unit, and to share reflections on your practice with peers and leaders.
Please watch this space for upcoming opportunities in our Medical ICUs, Cardiac Surgical/Cardiovascular ICU, Trauma SICU, NICU, and Neuroscience ICU.
As a nurse resident in our Emergency Department, you’ll be part of a dynamic team of professionals in a Level 1 Trauma Center serving nearly 55,000 patients a year.
You’ll participate in weekly four-hour seminar/classroom sessions with the emergency department unit educator/nurse specialist for skills development, case presentations, and more. Plus, you’ll hear directly from members of our patient-family advisory council about their experiences.
You will participate in a 14-week 1:1 general orientation with a dedicated preceptor, followed by four weeks of protected time for additional training in emergency department practice.
After a year, you’ll attend an 8-week orientation to critical care emergency practice.
You’ll also participate in an evidence-based online orientation designed by the Emergency Nurses Association and Elsevier.
Along with other new graduates across BIDMC, you’ll join a Transition to Practice Seminar group, which will meet monthly for 12 months. This is a great opportunity to continue your learning off the unit, and to share reflections on your practice with peers and leaders.
Through our Perioperative Professional Nurse Entry Program (PNEP), we provide 6-9 months of training for nurses new to perioperative nursing.
We incorporate the Periop 101 Core Curriculum outlined by the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses. The curriculum consists of didactic sessions, simulation training, hands-on experience, and more.
We accept two cohorts per year, typically during spring and fall.
New graduates with a BSN as well as experienced RNs (any degree preparation) are encouraged to apply.
Select inpatient specialty units accept new graduates on a rolling basis, either as individuals or in a cohort. This includes Labor and Delivery, Postpartum/Antepartum, Inpatient Psychiatry and NICU/Special Care Nursery.
Along with other new graduates across BIDMC, you’ll join a Transition to Practice Seminar group, which will meet monthly for 12 months. This is a great opportunity to continue your learning off the unit, and to share reflections on your practice with peers and leaders.
During designated application periods, nurses who have recently earned their associates degree may apply to join our team as part of a specialized program that leads to a bachelor's degree in nursing at Emmanuel College.
Participants enroll in a 36-hour position, with 32 hours dedicated to clinical practice and four hours to professional/academic advancement.
As a participant, you'll attend classes at Emmanuel College with all expenses paid, graduating in two years.
Along with other new graduates across BIDMC, you’ll join a Transition to Practice Seminar group, which will meet monthly for 12 months. This is a great opportunity to continue your learning off the unit, and to share reflections on your practice with peers and leaders.
