Pictured are the participants in the new Nurse Residency Program at Colquitt Regional Medical Center. This extensive 12-month program will support new graduates as they transition into their first professional role as registered nurses by providing hands-on experience and ensuring they sharpen the clinical skills needed for a successful nursing career.

MOULTRIE, Ga. – Colquitt Regional Medical Center recently introduced a Nurse Residency Program (NRP) that will support new graduates as they transition into their first professional role as registered nurses.

This program will help new nurses further develop their knowledge through hands-on experience and sharpen the clinical skills needed for a successful nursing career, the hospital said in a press release. Colquitt Regional currently has 11 nurse residents who participate in the extensive 12-month program. These nurse residents are exposed to a variety of specialties, curriculum topics, learning projects, and monthly seminars that all aid in the learning process.

“Through this Nurse Residency Program, we are addressing the regional shortage of healthcare professionals and making a conscious effort to ensure that nurses have access to the resources necessary to succeed in the field,” said Colquitt Regional Vice President of Patient Services and CNO Dena Zinker.

While the three key areas of the program are leadership, patient outcomes and professional development, benefits of the program are seen in areas throughout the continuum of care, the hospital said. Nurses will see an increase in their decision-making competence, stronger critical thinking skills and increased confidence, among others.

To be eligible to participate in the Nurse Residency Program, all prospective candidates should have graduated from an accredited nursing program (ADN, BSN), have less than one year of experience in nursing, and commit to all 12 scheduled seminars and completion of evidenced-based initiatives. There are two cohorts each year: one in January and one in July.

“While the residency program just recently launched in July 2019, I have no doubt that it will be highly successful and greatly beneficial to our nurses,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Maureen A. Yearta, Ed.D. “Not only does the residency help the participants, but programs throughout the United States have seen positive impacts in their organizations in areas such as increased patient safety, improved patient experience and increased retention of nurses.”

Colquitt Regional also offers another introductory program that may be completed prior to the Nurse Residency Program. The Nurse Extern Program is an immersive 12-month program for nursing students in their senior year. They work side-by-side with a registered nurse while rotating through all nursing units and gain invaluable hands-on experience before entering the workforce as a nurse themselves.

Colquitt Regional is a 99-bed teaching hospital located in Moultrie. It recently received its tenth “A” Hospital Safety Score designation from The Leapfrog Group, naming them as one of the safest hospitals in the nation.

For more information, contact Nursing Residency and Extern Program Coordinator Jared Swift, BSN, RN at 229-891-9132.