Nurse Residency Programs

VA-STEP Program

The purpose of the Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) is to provide an opportunity for outstanding college students to develop clinical competencies at an approved VA medical facility.

For more than 20 years the VA has offered this exciting, year-long clinical residency for BSN students between their junior and senior years. VA-STEP is a paid nursing internship designed to increase participants’ clinical skills, clinical judgement, and critical thinking while caring for our nation’s Veterans. This program provides opportunities for learning including didactic or classroom experiences and clinical practice with a qualified RN preceptor.

Students recruited for the program must have completed the final semester or quarter of their junior year in an accredited baccalaureate nursing program prior to the program start date. Students are appointed during the summer months for 400 hours. This experience may continue during their senior academic year on a part-time/intermittent basis for no more than 800 hours in total.

The VA-STEP Program begins with 10 weeks of paid, full-time work during the summer months (June-August). Applicants should be available to work 40 hours per week during this time. The summer program includes:

• New Nurse Orientation
• Clinical practice with a preceptor on an assigned unit
• Opportunities to rotate to other units/specialties for observation experiences
• Other planned educational experiences (nursing boot camp, code blue management, telemetry class, interview essentials, and more).

After completing the initial 10 weeks of full-time work, VA-STEP students may continue to work through the academic year until graduation (within the program guidelines for total hours and earnings).

Applications are open January 1st and are accepted before February 1st of each calendar year.

Registered Nurse Transition-to-Practice Program

The Registered Nurse Transition-to-Practice (RNTTP) Program consists of a comprehensive 12-month curriculum built upon standards related to clinical, leadership, and professional dimensions. RNTTP provides a supported transition to autonomous and competent clinical practice. This unique program is managed by the Program Director and the department of Nursing Education. This allows the residents to be able to attend all classes as scheduled.

Enhance your knowledge by collaborating with the health care team to ensure the best care is delivered to Veterans. You will discover an environment marked by commitment, excellence, mutual respect, and professionalism. Program highlights include:

• Weekly structured didactic educational sessions (80% Clinical and 20% didactic)
• Group meetings with cohort and coordinators
• State-of-the-art simulation lab to enhance clinical learning with “real-life” patient-centered case scenarios and skills practice
• Collaboration with Case Western Reserve University as our academic partner
• Evidence-based practice project with implementation and research project development
• Advanced leadership and role development
• Preceptor guided transition to competent independent practice
• Mentoring for ongoing professional growth

Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program (PB-RNR)

The Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program (PB-RNR) is an innovative, comprehensive, and precepted 12-month orientation program sponsored by the U.S. National Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). The PB-RNR Program provides valuable support for recent BSN, MN, or MSN graduates (with no RN experience) during their transition into clinical practice. This unique program is an opportunity for new graduate registered nurses to transition more seamlessly into professional nursing practice while developing key critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making skills as well as engaging in a variety of scholarly activities. Residents participating in the PB-RNR Program will discover an environment marked by a deep commitment to nursing excellence and lifelong learning!

The PB-RNR Program provides:

• Reflective practice and exploration of nursing through robust clinical and didactic experiences that advance knowledge and enhance the art of healing and caring for our nation’s heroes, our Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
• A multitude of learning opportunities focused on institutional and departmental practices that facilitate new nurse transition to the policies, procedures, and standards of care at the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System.
• A systems-wide approach to learning with clinical experiences scheduled throughout the VANEOHS facility (i.e.- Community Living Center, Medical-Surgical, OR, IR, ED, GI, MICU, SICU, PACU, Out-Patient/Ambulatory, Mental Health units).
• 100% protected time in clinical guided by a trained registered nurse preceptor for one year; Monday-Friday, no weekends, no nights, no federal holidays. 
• A comprehensive introduction to a wide variety of departments, key interdisciplinary team members, and resources throughout the VA facility.
• Experiences to build confidence and knowledge by linking critical thinking with critical actions.
• Robust professional development experiences and connectivity that expand growth and promote a life-long commitment to nursing.

Program highlights include:

• Precepted-guided clinical experiences throughout the VA facility (80% of PB-RNR program)
• Weekly structured didactic educational sessions (20% of PB-RNR program)
• State-of-the-art simulation lab and experiences to enhance clinical learning with “real-life” patient-centered case scenarios, critical thinking exercises, and skills task training practice
• Collaboration with Case Western Reserve University, the official academic partner of the PB-RNR Program
• Guided evidence-based practice project identification, development, implementation, and dissemination
• Advanced leadership, professional role development, and career planning
• Mentoring for ongoing professional growth

Program Applications: Applications open October 1 every year

Program Start Date: PB-RNR Program begins in early September every year