Nurse Residency Program
Supporting the Next Generation of Nurses
More Than Orientation. A Foundation for Your Nursing Career.
The Kootenai Health Nurse Residency Program is a year-long transition-to-practice program designed to support newly licensed nurses as they begin their professional careers. Through structured orientation, dedicated preceptor support, monthly workshops, and ongoing guidance from our Transition to Practice team, nurse residents build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed for independent practice.
Residents progress through a competency-based orientation plan while developing clinical judgment, communication, patient safety, and interprofessional collaboration skills. Throughout the program, nurse residents participate in professional development activities, evidence-based practice projects, and peer learning experiences that promote continued growth and career development. At Kootenai Health, we are committed to creating an environment where new nurses feel supported, connected, and prepared to provide exceptional patient care while building a strong foundation for long-term success in nursing.
ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP)
Kootenai Health Nurse Residency is accredited with distinction as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs.
The current sites included in this accreditation with distinction designation are:
- Kootenai Health
- Behavioral Health – Youth Acute (West Campus)
The current workplace settings included in this accreditation with distinction designation are:
- Medical
- Medical-Surgical
- Step Down
- Critical Care
- Psychiatric
Program Details
Our practical, 12-month program provides nurse residents with:
- Structured, competency-based orientation
- Dedicated preceptor, nurse leader, and Transition to Practice team support
- Monthly Nurse Residency workshops and peer learning opportunities
- Foundations of patient safety, communication, and professional practice
- Evidence-based practice and quality improvement projects
- Interprofessional learning and collaboration experiences
- Mentorship and professional development opportunities
- Focus on wellbeing, resilience, and successful transition to practice
- A professional nursing culture that supports Magnet® principles and nursing excellence
Eligibility & Application
- Be a professional nurse who has less than one year of experience and less than six months hospital acute-care experience.
- Have graduated with a BSN OR be enrolled in a baccalaureate (or higher) degree program in nursing within one year of the employee’s start date, with a mandatory completion date within three years of starting.
- Possess an active Idaho Registered Nurse license (prior to start date).
Continued success requirements:
- Continued employment with Kootenai Health for 12 months following the completion of the Nurse Residency Program.
- Obtaining a certification in your nursing specialty (such as CCRN, CEN, RN-BC, or RN-C) within 24 months of completing the program.
Application deadline & requirements:
- Submit a standard Kootenai Health Nurse Resident online employment application.
- Complete a Spark Hire video interview from Human Resources.
- Complete the Kootenai Health reference process.
Kootenai Health will strive to ensure your success as a nurse by providing you a robust orientation program, access to organizational development, the support of a professional education team, and the cohesiveness of a fixed cohort.
