Any new graduate nurse who meets the following criteria:
• is either in the last semester of nursing school or;
• is someone who has graduated from an accredited nursing program within the calendar year and/or who has graduated from an accredited nursing program within the calendar year and has worked 6 months or less as a registered nurse;
• is someone who will be licensed in the State of Florida as a Registered Nurse by their date of hire;
• has active BLS certification.

Yes, new graduates enter as a Registered Nurse I only and at the completion of the year of residency advance to a Registered Nurse II.

New graduates are hired to work on either a specific unit or service line. Candidates may apply to the units/service lines of most interest. There is no limit on the number of units/services; however, applicants are wise to apply to the top three units of areas of interest. Click Here to review the various unit descriptions.

The New Graduate Residency Program is one year in length. This includes the clinical orientation to the unit hired as well as the professional transitional meetings that occur.

We try to place nurse residents in an area that interests them, though it cannot always be guaranteed therefore you may be offered a unit which has the need and remains unfilled at the end of the overall interview process.

The interview will be conducted in person and will consist of an interview with a nursing leader and a peer panel representing the care area.

Each department will determine how many positions will be filled through the residency program for each Clinical Orientation Track prior to applicant screening.

Yes, nurse residents are paid and are eligible for benefits. View our benefits page for additional information on benefits of working at Memorial Healthcare System.

All hours worked during the residency are paid at your regular RN rate. There is no change in the beginning salary for new graduates and there is no pay adjustment upon completion of the program. At the end of the first year you will receive your annual evaluation at which time you will be eligible for a pay increase per the performance evaluation guidelines.

Inpatient nurse residents receive a shift and/or weekend differential as appropriate.

You may interview and be offered a position contingent upon passing the NCLEX, however, you must have an active license prior to your first day of employment. Students who are unable to obtain their license prior to their start date will be able to apply to the next Nurse Residency Program cohort offered.

Associate’s degree is required; BSN degree is desired.

When you begin employment you complete a number of orientation and classroom requirements which may have varying schedules. When you begin the unit orientation you will work the same hours as your Preceptor. Once orientation to the unit is completed, you will move to the regularly scheduled pattern of shifts for your position, most likely nightshift. Each unit has weekend and holiday requirements. Time dedicated to the Residency Program activities will be accommodated in your schedule.

The Nurse Residency Program requires attendance to a monthly mandatory seminar within the first year. In addition to the program, the first 3 months of employment includes a rigorous orientation schedule (will vary depending on area of practice). It is strongly advised to not make plans until date of hire. However, accommodations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, all new graduates will only be hired for the cohorts within the Nurse Residency Program.

No, this program complements and supplements the traditional orientation. All new graduates will complete the traditional orientation which has class, online and clinical practice experiences. The orientation will take place on the clinical unit for which the nurse is hired.

The Program Director of the Nurse Residency Program, unit educators, and Preceptor for each clinical area have advanced nursing education and experience in transitioning new nurses from students to professionals and in the clinical specialty areas they support.

Nurse Residents must be employed by Memorial Healthcare System on a full time basis for a minimum period of two (2) continuous years. The Nurse Resident must remain in assigned department while enrolled in the one (1) year program. Upon completion/graduation of the program, nurse residents are eligible to apply for department transfer.

A 2 year commitment agreement will be signed at the time an offer is made to the nurse resident candidate as part of the new employee paperwork that needs to be completed. This agreement is applicable to the facility and unit where the nurse resident will be hired. The commitment is $5,000.00 payable upon non-completion of the two-year commitment.

The application itself is the standard online application, however additional documentation will be required to complete the application process. Please refer to the Application Process for additional information.

The Nurse Residency Program requires attendance to a monthly mandatory seminar, a rigorous unit based orientation schedule, and regularly scheduled weekly shifts. We strongly advise you to consider the time commitment that the residency program requires as well as the time commitment pursuing an advanced degree requires.

E-mail: RNresidency@mhs.net