Des Peres Hospital Offers New RN Graduate Residency
Outcome-Driven Curriculum Promotes Quality Patient Care
Des Peres Hospital announced today that it offer the VersantTM RN Residency as part of its strategy to address nurse retention and improve the acclimation of our new registered nurse graduates. Des Peres Hospital is the first hospital in Missouri to offer this innovative program for new graduates.
“The RN residency provides a transition from student nurse to professional nurse by giving them the skill they need to increase their competency and confidence,” said David Zambrana, chief nursing officer
The 18-week course, offered by Versant Advantage, Inc., better prepares newly graduated nurses for their first jobs through rigorous training that includes:
- Instructor-led courses featuring current and emerging clinical guidelines and standards
- Clinical preceptors who provide personalized bedside training
- Debriefing sessions that offer a forum for exchange among participants
- Mentors who provide personal support and career development guidance
- A Web-based tool to monitor participants’ progress and track competencies
Since the pilot program began in the spring of 2007, Tenet has offered 11 residency cohorts at four hospitals, graduating 68 RNs with 29 additional nurses scheduled to graduate this summer. The Versant RN Residency has helped Tenet reduce the new graduate RN attrition rate by an average of 50 percent.
“Tenet is committed to taking proactive steps to maintain a high-performing nursing workforce at our hospitals,” said Zambrana. “Our goal is to provide these new graduates with the tools they need to develop as professional nurses who can immediately be integrated into our patient care areas.”
The first class in the Versant RN Residency program at Des Peres Hospital began August 11, 2008 with 7 newly graduated nurses participating in the rigorous 18-week Versant training.