Have you recently graduated from nursing school? Want to learn more about a nursing program that is structured for your success? VA’s Registered Nurse Transition-To-Practice (RNTTP) Residency Program can help.
Bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world to kickstart your nursing career with confidence. Read these frequently asked questions to learn more about the program.
What is the RNTTP Residency Program?
VA’s RNTTP Residency Program gives new nurses the tools and guidance they need to grow and learn within the health care industry. Experienced nurses guide program participants through the roles, duties, patient care activities and procedures registered nurses (RNs) perform. Veteran-centric information is covered throughout the program as well.
Who is eligible for the program?
If you have recently graduated from your nursing program or are a new graduate RN with less than a year of professional experience, you may qualify for the program.
How long is the program?
The RNTTP Residency Program is a 12-month developmental training program. It includes both didactic and clinical components, and the area of assignment will vary depending on the needs of the facility and your individual learning needs.
How can the program help my career?
Being a new nurse can be challenging. The team-focused support component of the RNTTP Residency Program cannot be overemphasized – it aids in your overall success as a nurse. Your assigned preceptor(s) will work closely with you during unit-based clinical orientation and throughout the program. Research shows that residency programs set new nurses up for success and positively impact health systems.
Participants of the program benefit from:
- Hands-on clinical experience
- Classroom and simulation training
- Preceptorship
- Mentorship
- Shadowing experiences
Want to learn more? Hear from a successful recent RNTTP Residency Program graduate about her experience.
Where would I work?
VA Medical Centers are located nationwide, so your perfect job opportunity is waiting for you wherever you are. Each VA Medical Center must establish and maintain an RNTTP Residency Program if they hire post-graduate RNs with less than one year of professional nursing experience.
Why should I become a VA nurse?
VA is the nation’s leading employer of nurses, with a team of more than 100,000 and growing – for good reasons. VA nurses enjoy these and other benefits:
- Competitive pay
- Insurance coverage
- Education support
- Generous retirement
- Plentiful time off
- Professional freedom
As the nation’s largest health care system, VA offers state-of-the-art tools, including speech-recognition capabilities, virtual technologies, mobile devices and renowned knowledge-based resources. VA is also the leader in telehealth, clinical innovation, and surgical quality.
Nurses of all employment levels can take advantage of more than 7,000 training programs in affiliation with over 1,800 educational institutions, from mandatory developmental programs to competitive opportunities. There are endless possibilities for improving your skills and advancing your career within the agency.
I’m interested. How can I learn more?
We encourage interested applicants to subscribe to our email list, as additional program details will be coming in early 2022. In the meantime, you can also find more information about the program on the VA nursing page, and check out the existing RNTTP listings on the USAJOBS site.
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