Accreditation

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center achieved a five year accreditation through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for the employee-based nurse residency program, effective September 14, 2020. Accreditation through CCNE underscores the quality of the residency program in transitioning new-to-practice nurses into the healthcare environment, providing the foreground for continued professional development. This accomplishment demonstrates exceptional program curriculum and the dedication of nursing leaders, professional development practitioners, academic partners, and organization stakeholders in supporting graduate nurse transition to practice.

The employee-based nurse residency program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, and (202) 887-6791.

Application Requirements:

To be eligible for the Graduate Nurse Residency, candidates must have graduated with either an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, have no previous experience working as a licensed RN, and must start the program within one year of completing their nursing degree.

Must possess a Registered Nurse license to practice professional nursing in the state of Pennsylvania prior to residency start date.

Please include an updated resume with your application.

For more information, contact Renee Foster at [email protected].

Adult Acute Care

3 Acute Care (Ortho/Emergency and General Surgery/Trauma/Internal Medicine)

This is a 53-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients admitted to the services of trauma and emergency general surgery, in addition to bariatric patients from all service and overflow admissions of all medical and surgical specialties.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification.

Orientation is tailored to the nurse’s individual educational needs. Staff development is ongoing through programs designed to create an extraordinary work environment and to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

Professional advancement includes opportunities to explore a variety of roles and experiences, offering new nurses the chance to grow and encouraging experienced nurses to lead. A commitment to shared governance empowers all nurses to take the lead on issues such as patient safety, clinical practice, professional development, education, performance improvement, and evidence-based practice, providing the foundation for excellence in patient care.

Nurses are central to a collaborative practice environment, working with physicians, advanced practice providers, respiratory therapists, social workers, dietitians, pastoral caregivers and numerous other disciplines to provide exceptional care.

4 Acute Care (Stroke/Neurology/Neurosurgery/Ortho/ENT/Plastics)

This is a 48-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients from a variety of surgical specialties including orthopedics, otolaryngology, plastics, urology, nephrology and neurosurgery. The unit includes four epilepsy monitoring beds.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification

5 Acute Care (Surgical)

This is a 47-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients from a variety of medical and surgical specialties. Medical specialties include gastroenterology, bariatrics, internal medicine, and gynecology oncology. Surgical specialties include colon and rectal, trauma, emergency general surgery, bariatric, transplant, neurosurgery and surgical oncology.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification.

6 Acute Care (Medical)

This is a 44-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients from a variety of medical specialties including internal medicine, gastroenterology, pulmonology, infectious diseases, palliative care, and nephrology. The clinical unit also specialized in the care of adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification.

Family and Community Medicine Acute Care (Inpatient)

This is a 14-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients from a variety of medical specialties including primarily family and community medicine, but also cares for internal medicine, family and community medicine, gastroenterology, pulmonology, infectious diseases, palliative care, and nephrology.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification.

Penn State Cancer Institute (Inpatient)

This is a 39-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients with hematological and oncologic malignancies, and those receiving stem cell transplants and CAR T-cell Therapy. Special training is provided for chemotherapy administration and the care of hematology/oncology and stem cell transplant patient. Nurses also complete ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Certification as part of orientation.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Certification and/or professional nursing certification.

Adult Intensive Care

Heart and Vascular Institute Critical Care

This is a 30-bed intensive care unit where nurses care for patients with cardiac critical care diagnoses and post-operative cardiac surgery patients. In addition, nurses care for patients with a wide variety of mechanical circulatory support devices, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), Impella, right ventricular assist devices (RVAD), and intra-aortic balloon pumps.

Preferred experience includes RN license, critical care experience, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Heart and Vascular Progressive Care

This is a 24-bed Intermediate Care Unit where nurses care primarily for cardiovascular patients undergoing treatment for Coronary bypass grafting (CABG); invasive and non-invasive valve replacements; Vascular bypass grafting, amputation, and endovascular aneurysm repair; heart failure from diagnosis to end stage advanced treatments (left ventricular assist devices and Heart Transplant); myocardial infarctions and dysrhythmias.

Preferred experience includes RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Medical Intensive Care

This is a 16-bed intensive care unit where nurses care for patients undergoing critical treatment for multi-system organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute renal/liver failure, acid-base and electrolyte imbalances, diabetes mellitus, substance use disorder, and post cardiac arrest hypothermia.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Neuroscience Critical Care

This is a 31-bed mixed-acuity unit where nurses provide critical care for neurology and neurosurgery patients undergoing treatments, for strokes, brain tumors, head traumas, seizures, neuro oncology, advanced neurological monitoring, and other neuromuscular disorders.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Surgical Intensive Care

This is a 30-bed intensive care unit where nurses provide critical care for patients admitted to general surgery, trauma, transplant and surgical services. Specialties include orthopedics, urology, plastics, ENT, colorectal, surgical oncology, gynecological oncology, thoracic, and high-risk obstetrics patients.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Adult Intermediate Care

Medical Intermediate Care

This is a 20-bed mixed-acuity unit where nurses care for patients undergoing treatment for multi-system organ failure, respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, renal/liver failure, acid-base and electrolyte imbalances, diabetes mellitus, and substance use disorder.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Surgical Intermediate Care

This is a 16-bed mixed-acuity unit where nurses care for patients admitted to general surgery, trauma, transplant and surgical services. Specialties include orthopedics, urology, plastics, colorectal, ENT, surgical oncology, gynecological oncology, thoracic, and high-risk obstetrics patients.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification and ACLS.

Emergency Services

Adult Emergency Department

This is a 60-bed unit where nurses care for patients undergoing emergent and urgent care for acute and chronic conditions in a wide variety of acuity levels. The Emergency Department is a Level 1 Regional Trauma Center treating more than 70,000 patients annually.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification, ACLS, and PALS.

Pediatric Emergency Department

This is a 12-bed unit where nurses care for patients from infancy through 18 years of age undergoing emergent and urgent care for acute and chronic conditions in a wide variety of acuity levels. The pediatric emergency department is a Level 1 Pediatric Regional Trauma Center treating more than 20,000 patients annually.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification, PALS, and a strong desire to care for children and their families.

Pediatrics

Neonatal Intensive Care

This Level IV (highest level) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, is a 56-bed unit where patients and their families are provided complete and comprehensive, live saving care to the most complex and critically ill newborns and serves as a regional referral center critical care for premature infants. Nurses care for patients ranging from 23 weeks to newborn/term age.

 Patients may require respiratory or ventilation support (including high frequency and nitric oxide).  Patients may have lung or heart problems, need surgical intervention for birth defects to include cardiac defects, require total-body cooling, and/or require consultative care from our pediatric subspecialists or have other life-threatening conditions.  The NICU is also an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) center.  Nurses have the ability to advance their skills through becoming a Delivery Room (DR) nurse, ECMO nurse, and other professional development opportunities. Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification, Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), and a strong desire to care for neonates and their families.

Pediatric Acute Care

This is an 18-bed acute care unit where nurses care for patients from infancy through 18 years of age undergoing treatment in general pediatrics, nephrology, cardiology, endocrinology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, rheumatology, pulmonary, neurology, trauma, orthopedics, otolaryngology, and urology.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification, PALS, and a strong desire to care for children and their families.

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is a state-of-the-art pediatric oncology center ranking amongst the top 50 in US News Best Children’s Hospital for Cancer.  Inpatient care is an 18-bed transitional care unit serving acute care and intermediate levels of care to patients from infancy through 18 years of age undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer, blood disorders, stem cell transplant and solid organ transplant. The unit also provides care to children who have mental health concerns, eating disorders, neurological and other pediatric conditions. Special training is provided for chemotherapy administration and the management of emerging cancer-directed therapies. Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification, PALS, and a strong desire to care for children and their families.

Pediatric Intensive Care

This is an 18-bed intensive care unit where nurses care for patients from infancy through 18 years of age undergoing critical care treatment for trauma, pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), neurosurgery, and other conditions.

Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license and professional nursing certification, PALS, ACLS, and a strong desire to care for children and their families.

Pediatric Intermediate Care

The PIMCU is a 2021 AACN Gold Beacon Award winner.  This 18-bed unit provides intermediate and intensive level of care to a diverse interactive patient population.  The top five diagnoses seen are chronic lung disease, diabetes, severe acute asthma, acute respiratory distress, and chronic respiratory failure. The unit also provides care to children who experience physical trauma, have eating disorders, mental health concerns, gastrointestinal disorders, and scoliosis.

Perioperative Orientation Course (Operating Room)

This is a paid educational experience presented through Nursing Education and Professional Development/Operating room. Designed to ease the transition from experienced RN to a professional operating room nurse, the Perioperative Nursing Course is a structured educational program offering training into the challenging specialty of Operating Room nursing. The course begins with eight weeks of basic orientation to Perioperative nursing with didactic and clinical experience in the intra-operative setting.

Orientation to all surgical specialties begins the ninth week and continues for approximately seven more months. A trauma nursing course will be provided as well. Working side-by-side with an Operating Room staff nurse preceptor, you will share in the challenges and rewards that occur at our medical center, while enjoying personal growth and skills advancement. Peer support, nurturing and continuous feedback will be provided throughout the experience.   You are hired into a full-time position from the day you start. The actual shift that you will work in the OR is determined towards the end of the orientation by your union seniority.

Women’s Health

This unit consists of 41 Beds (Antepartum, Triage, Labor & Delivery, Postpartum), 2 Newborn Nurseries, L&D Perioperative Suite (3 Pre/Post-op Bays and 2 Cesarean Section Suites).  Nurses provide care to antepartum patients experiencing pregnancy complications, triage, intrapartum, pre/intra/postoperative care for Cesarean sections, postpartum patients including mother/baby couplets and transitional newborns.  Preferred experience includes GN and/or RN license, professional nursing certification, BLS, ACLS (in labor & delivery), and Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP).

As members of Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™, Hampden Medical Center’s Graduate Nurse Residency program offers both classroom and hands-on learning designed to bolster graduate nurses’ competencies, while also ensuring their comfort with the Medical Center’s practice standards. Graduate nurse residents enter the program during their general nursing orientation, and program participation continues through their unit specific orientation and first year of practice. During the residency, graduate nurses participate in 13 topical seminars, through which graduate nurses experience an atmosphere of collaboration and camaraderie as they share insight on their personal and professional growth. As part of their professional development, participants are expected to attend all 13 seminars, complete a professional development plan, and present an evidence-based practice project upon program completion. Program seminars also provide networking opportunities for graduate nurses with other program participants, expert facilitators, and mentors.

Nursing orientation is offered monthly – new graduates can start as soon as Temporary Practice Permit or Permanent RN licensure is obtained.

For more information, please contact Katy Rush, Recruiter at [email protected].

New graduates are hired on the following units:

• Emergency Department
• Women’s Health
• Critical Care
• Medical / Surgical
• Intermediate Care Unit
• Clinical Decision/Observation Unit

As members of Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™, Holy Spirit Medical Center’s Graduate Nurse Residency program offers both classroom and hands-on learning designed to bolster graduate nurses’ competencies, while also ensuring their comfort with the Medical Center’s practice standards. Graduate nurse residents enter the program during their general nursing orientation, and program participation continues through their unit specific orientation and first year of practice. During the residency, graduate nurses participate in 13 topical seminars, through which graduate nurses experience an atmosphere of collaboration and camaraderie as they share insight on their personal and professional growth. As part of their professional development, participants are expected to attend all 13 seminars, complete a professional development plan, and present an evidence-based practice project upon program completion. Program seminars also provide networking opportunities for graduate nurses with other program participants, expert facilitators, and mentors.

Nursing orientation is offered monthly – new graduates can start as soon as Temporary Practice Permit or Permanent RN licensure is obtained.

For more information, please contact Katy Rush, Recruiter at [email protected].

New graduates are hired on the following units:

• Medical/Surgical
• Telemetry
• Float Pool
• Emergency Department
• Adult Intensive Care Unit
• Progressive Care Unit
• Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
• Cardiac Specialty Care Unit
• Trauma Orthopedics
• Neuro/Trauma/Stroke
• Operating Room
• PACU

St. Joseph Medical Center has partnered with the Pennsylvania Action Coalition and Vizient/American Association of Colleges of Nursing (ANCC) to develop a robust Nurse Residency Program to support our nurses as they transition into the professional nurse role. The program focuses on leadership, quality outcomes, and the professional nurse role. 

Graduate nurses will attend monthly educational seminars that assist in development of critical thinking skills related to clinical judgement and performance as well as strengthen the nurse resident’s clinical nursing leadership at point of care.

Please include a cover letter, resume, transcripts, and clinical narrative with your application.

For more information, contact Erin McCaw at [email protected].

New graduates are hired on the following units:

• 1 North (Medical, Surgical, Oncology)
• 1 South (Medical, Surgical)
• 2 North (Medical/Surgical, Cardiac, Intermediate Care)
• Emergency Department
• Critical Care
• Family Birthing Center
• NICU and Pediatrics 

For more information specific to St. Joseph's Nurse Residency Program, click here.