Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program

The year is like a fellowship – you will earn significant work experience, as well as clinical and professional training and skill development opportunities that are not typically available to someone starting out in an entry-level nursing position. The rigorous accreditation standards of Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education guide the development of the curriculum and the learning activities which are designed to help develop the essential competencies for a new graduate nurse. ECHCS’s program will foster the integration of inter-professional collaboration into PBRNR graduates’ practice as residents will participate in formalized inter-professional educational activities and collaborate with other health care professionals to develop an evolving plan of care for patients and to solve clinical care problems. During our program, we provide opportunities to immerse the new graduate nurse into the role of a professional competent nurse utilizing various clinical rotations throughout the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System.

The goal of the Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency program is to recruit new graduate nurses seeking lifelong learning and the pursuit of nursing leadership while providing excellent and compassionate care to our nation’s heroes, our Veterans. We want to ensure supervised transition of the graduate nurses to autonomous and competent clinical practice within the Veteran-centric setting to care for our Veterans nationally and produce future healthcare leaders in the professional practice of nursing. Residents should demonstrate increased competency of clinical leadership skills as measured by evaluations completed by their preceptor and a self-assessment over the year of the program. ECHCS’s program will produce PBRNR graduates who practice and deliver evidence-based, high-quality, Veteran/patient-centric care in complex care environments.

Mission

To enhance the novice nurse’s professional practice through guided experiences and continuous development resultant in professional leadership ability and competent Veteran centered care provided at the point of care.

About the program

Our residency training consists of various precepted clinical rotations:

• Primary care
• Acute care
• Critical or specialty care
• Leadership

We utilize multimodal approaches to facilitate learning that will assist the residents from a novice nurse to professionally competent nurse.

View this video to see more about our program:

The federally funded nurse residency program at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Valuable benefits include

• Competitive pay-12-month stipend = approximately $65,775
• 100% protected time (not part of staffing matrix on unit)
• No obligation commitment after residency program completed
• Insurance – multiple options are available for medical
• Sick and Annual Leave – Four hours of sick Leave and four hours of annual leave every two weeks, starting on day one.
• No night, weekend or holiday shifts

Note: Nurse residents in the Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency program are considered health professions trainees and there is no commitment required for continued employment after the completion of the year-long program. After successful completion of the residency, we do hope that you will find your calling to care for Veterans within the VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System.

To apply

The application period for Cohort #4 has closed. The next application cycle will begin March/April 2025 and application materials will be posted at that time.

Applicant criteria

• Be a graduate of baccalaureate nursing program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). 
• Possess a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a state, commonwealth or territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, prior to the start of the PB-RNR program. (passed NCLEX at the latest, 6 weeks prior to the start of the residency program)
• Be a citizen of the United States. 
• Be serving in his or her first Registered Nurse role (Must not have had ANY paid RN work experience)
• Be a recent nursing graduate within the past 12 months, with a GPA 3.0 or greater 
• COVID-19 vaccination (or approved exception) is a requirement for VA employment

Application packet requirements

More information

For more information, contact the Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency  team at: VHAECHPBRNR@va.gov

Dr. Bryan Lublin, MD, MPH (Interim) Associate Chief of Staff for Education/Designated Education Officer

Allison E. Boyrer, EdD, MS, BSN, RN – Program Director

Linda M. Gonzalez, MLS, BSN, BA, RN – Program Coordinator

Carissa L. Fowler, BSN, RN - Clinical Faculty/Program Staff