Queen's RN residency program receives national accreditation with distinction

Continuing its longstanding tradition of providing evidence-based education to the next generation of nurses, Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center’s Clinical Academy RN Residency Program was awarded an accreditation with distinction as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission (ANCC) on Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP). The award is the highest recognition provided by the ANCC organization.

“Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center wholeheartedly believes in preparing the next generation of skilled and compassionate caregivers through meaningful education and training opportunities,” said Tarinder Khatkar, chief nursing officer. “We are humbled that our evidence-based curriculum, collaborative learning environment and real-life experiences help our residents succeed as they transition into new practice settings.”

The designation means that the Queen’s Clinical RN Residency Program follows the ANCC’s global standard for residency programs that successfully prepares and transitions RNs into seven specialized workplace practice settings including: Medical-Surgical, Oncology, Critical Care, Labor & Delivery, Ante/Postpartum, Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum (LDRP), and Emergency Department.

“I must express our gratitude to our clinical educators, nurse leaders and caregivers who worked hard to make this accomplishment possible,” said Terry Wooten, chief executive. “We would not have received this prestigious honor without their commitment to excellence and dedication to training the future of nursing.”

The Queen’s RN residency program helps new graduates with less than 12 months of experience transition from an education environment to a practice setting as they develop the knowledge and skills needed to meet and exceed professional nursing standards. Through the program, nurses complete specialized online and classroom courses, work alongside experienced staff and learn in a real-life setting to be better prepared and more confident as they enter the workforce.

Brandon Alexander, RN, recently completed the Queen’s residency program and believes it prepared him for “the real world of nursing” and allowed him to confidently approach his full-time role as a nurse. 

“I call it nursing school 2.0. It’s rigorous and intense, but in a good way because it helps build your competency to be able to work alone,” said Alexander, who plans to continue working on the Queen’s telemetry floor where he was placed for his residency for several years. “I walked in on my first day after being a new grad and was more than prepared to hit the ground running.”

Beyond the practical experience at the bedside, the program also gives residents a chance to connect with peers and mentors, focus on their professional development and develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork, ethics and resiliency.

The Queen is now among 24 hospitals within Providence’s family of organizations to earn an accreditation with distinction as a Practice Transition Accreditation Program by ANCC’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs. The designation demonstrates Providence’s commitment to ensuring every newly graduated RN is successfully supported to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional expectation.

Those interested in Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center’s Clinical Academy RN Residency Program can apply online by visiting providence-nursing.jobs/nurse-residency-jobs.