RN Residency FAQ

Seton’s Versant RN Residency

(1) What is Seton’s Versant RN Residency?

Seton’s Versant RN Residency is a comprehensive support system that helps recent nurse graduates build their confidence and clinical skills as they transition from a student into a nursing professional. The program has been developed by nurses for nurses and is designed for graduate and newly licensed registered nurses.

In 1998, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) created the RN Residency in response to a severe national shortage of experienced nurses. Realizing that newly graduated RNs would quickly become their main source of nurses, CHLA created a customized, disciplined program to transition these new professionals from students to safe, skilled and confident practitioners.

After five years of refining, researching, and evaluating the program, the CHLA RN Residency was the most comprehensive and effective new graduate nursing residency program in the country. In May 2004, CHLA formed Versant, a non-profit, public benefit corporation charged with helping other hospitals implement their own RN residency programs. In 2007, Seton was one of the first hospital systems in Texas to introduce Versant’s systematic approach to nurse training.

(2) What motivated Seton to introduce the Versant RN Residency?

While graduate medical education for physicians is standardized under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, there are no universally-accepted standards for hospitals to follow to help recent nursing graduates transition from school into the workforce. As such, methods to train newly licensed nurses vary significantly from hospital to hospital. By integrating the Versant RN Residency into Seton’s education structure, Seton introduces a customized, proven program with measurable results into Central Texas’ health care industry.

(3) How is Seton’s Versant RN Residency different from typical internships or “homegrown” residency programs?

Seton’s Versant RN Residency is an evidence-based, proven education and training system designed specifically to address the needs of the newly licensed nurse. Evidence-based nursing is the process by which nurses make clinical decisions using the best available research evidence to guide their clinical decisions. RN residents are supported by a network of senior nurses who act as mentors, supervisors and facilitators.

Another distinction of Seton’s Versant RN Residency is a rigorous approach to the standardization of care and clinical processes. Within institutions that develop homegrown nursing education programs, variances in clinical procedures and delivery of patient care are quite common. Seton’s RN Residency is standardized across all Seton hospitals to ensure that best practices are in place.

(4) What does Seton’s Versant RN Residency offer?

Seton’s RN Residency offers:

• Instructor-led courses featuring current and emerging clinical guidelines and standards
• Clinical supervisors who provide personalized bedside training
• Mentor circles focusing on career and professional development
• Debriefing sessions that offer a forum for exchange between Residents
• Residency committees that introduce the RN residents to the shared governance process, group networking and problem solving
• Clinical Skills are supported through skills labs incorporating simulation and interprofessional training

One of the greatest strengths of Seton’s RN Residency is that after just 18 weeks, participants will achieve the same competence and self-assurance of a nurse who has been in practice for 18 months.

(5) How often will Seton offer the RN Residency?

Currently, there are three different sessions called cohorts scheduled. These are offered 3 times per year. See Seton.net for more information.

An open house is held prior to interviews before each cohort. Visit Seton.net for more information.

(6) What are some of the benefits of participating in Seton’s Versant RN Residency?

Through Seton’s Versant RN Residency, participants receive hands-on unit experience supplemented by classroom training, labs and simulations. In addition, to ensure that participants are equipped to provide the best patient care, they’ll receive guidance through:

• Preceptors who help validate participants’ performance and ensure clinical competence.
• Regularly scheduled support meetings among class members to allow a sharing of experiences that help facilitate the transition from classroom into practice.

(7) What are the requirements to take part in Seton’s RN Residency?

New Graduate Nurse From Accredited Nursing School

• Complete an online application
• Must have Texas GN permit/Authorization to Test (ATT) one week prior to start date
• Will not accept out-of-state GN permit

Registered Nurse

Less than 1 year of full time RN experience (less than 2080 hours) by start date.

Accepted:

• Complete an online application
• Texas RN license
• Temporary Texas license
• Compact RN license

(8) Will participants need to choose a specialty to be in Seton’s Versant RN Residency?

Yes, Seton will be offering the following Residency specialties for focused training, depending on the time of year a student enters the 18-week program:

• Acute Care (Med/Surg)
  • Cardiology/Telemetry
  • Medical/Surgical
  • Orthopedics
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Renal
  • Pulmonary
  • Trauma Surgical Services
• Behavioral Health
• Critical Care
• Emergency
• NICU
• Pediatric
• Perinatal
• Peri-operative

(9) How do I apply?

Click here:
http://setonrnresidency.com

(10) Are current Seton associates eligible to participate?

Yes, Seton is especially interested in helping current associates remain with the Seton Family of Hospitals. Those who are interested in the program and who fall into this category will need to complete the versant application process.

(11) How does Seton’s Versant RN Residency benefit patients?

Seton’s Versant RN Residency bridges the challenging transition from nursing student to nursing professional. Facilities that have participated in the Versant RN Residency have seen a dramatic reduction in their first and second year new graduate turnover rates. The residency specializes in providing a systematic approach to support, develop, educate, and recognize those who enter the highly demanding nursing profession. While the educational aspects of this program are important, of equal importance are the qualitative and supportive aspects.

(12) How do I get more information?

Visit http://www.seton.net/employment/nursing/