Many nurses leave their jobs within a year!
Turnover of nurses, particularly in rural communities,
is a major issue. Why?
- Transitioning from a nursing student to a full-time, practicing nurse is challenging
and demanding — and sometimes scary. - Rural nurses are required to have a breadth and depth of knowledge unparalleled
in other specialty fields.
The one-year New Mexico Rural Nurse Residency Program was created to help nurses develop the skills and confidence they need to build a successful career or transition from one nursing specialty to another. For example, moving from an urban clinic or hospital setting to a rural or public health nursing position can present unique challenges.
How the Program Works:
- The one-year program combines online and preceptor education.
Classes are provided via WebEx™ and a learning management system. - The curriculum is built with Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), along with National Council of State Boards of Nursing guidelines and tenets of critical thinking.
- Nurse residents are paired with specially trained preceptors who conduct a competency assessment to create a customized plan for each nurse’s learning and development.
- Throughout the program, both residents and preceptors have access to a clinical decision support system that provides instant information on diagnoses, medications, nursing interventions, etc.
- Preceptors are mentored by Rural Residency program staff and receive 16 hours of training.
Residencies to Help Nurses Succeed!
Acute Care Residency – for nurses working in hospitals with fewer than 200 beds.
Care in the Community Residency – for nurses in long term care; ambulatory care; home health and hospice; clinics and public health.
Leadership in Rural Nursing – for nurse clinical leaders and managers.
Who Can Participate?
The New Mexico Rural Nurse Residency Program is available to acute and long-term care facilities in New Mexico with fewer than 200 beds that have staff willing to serve as preceptors. Facilities must have high-speed internet access.
Currently, the following organizations are participating in the Program:
- Acoma, Canoncito, Laguna (ACL), San Fidel
- Artesia General Hospital, Artesia
- Crownpoint Service Unit (IHS), Crownpoint
- Holy Cross Hospital, Taos
- Indian Health Services/Four Corners, Four Corners
- Lovelace Westside Hospital, Albuquerque
- Memorial Medical Center, Las Cruces
- Mescalero Medical Center, Mescalero
- Mimbres Memorial Hospital, Deming
- Northern Navajo Medical Center (NNMC), Shiprock
- Rehoboth McKinley Christian Healthcare Services, Gallup
This Program Fills a Critical Need
Supporting nurses in practice after completion of their degree or in transition from one area of nursing to a new specialty can ensure they gain the confidence and skills they need to stay on the job and build or continue a successful career in nursing.
Participating facilities can reduce costs of hiring and training new staff and build a clinical staff that has the necessary knowledge, experience and confidence to contribute to outstanding patient care.
Get Involved Today!
For additional information, including curriculums and applications:
New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence
Or, contact:
NMRNR Program Coordinator
New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence
3200 Carlisle NE, Suite 205
Albuquerque, NM 87110
(505) 889-4518
NMRNR@nmnursingexcellence.org
The New Mexico Rural Nurse Residency program is in partnership with the Northwest Rural Nurse Residency program.
What Our CNOs Say
"Now that I have a residency program I am more willing to hire a new grad."
What Our Graduates Say
“I learned a lot. The Program anchored me by helping me to adjust to being a full-time medical-surgical nurse after being an LPN/RN student who worked one to two days a week. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to make the most of their career.”
“It was very helpful. I had access to the information I needed right away. It helped me bring what I had learned in school to the front of my brain so that I was able to use the things I had learned every day. In fact, it’s given me so much confidence that I am being oriented to move from a medical surgical nurse to a sub-acute care (SAC) nurse! I’d recommend it to any nurse – and I wish every hospital offered this type of residency program.”
What Our Preceptors Say
“This program benefitted me as well as it has the residents I mentor. They have access to the information they need, they can ask questions, and most of all they realize they are not alone. Your first nursing job can be scary. This program helps take some of that fear away and replaces it with confidence.”
“I like the combination of didactic and clinical education this program offers, as well as the opportunity for nurses to interact with preceptors formally and informally. I would recommend it to other hospitals.”