Nurse Residency Program | Stanford Health Care

Nurse Residency Program

The ANCC Nationally Accredited Stanford Health Care Nurse Residency Program, as a Vizient recognized program, started in 2006 and has since grown into a meaningful and impactful foundation for newly graduated nurses transitioning into professional clinical practice.

Cohort 43 Updates

June 9th:

If you missed last weeks interview prep webinar, it is now available on our YouTube channel: Interview Prep Webinar
Interview invitations have started to be sent out this morning - please keep an eye on your e-mail and check spam folders, you will have 24 hours to respond before we move on to the next candidate. Invitations will be sent up to the day before the panel interview. If you are not selected you will recieve an e-mail letting you know.

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Our program features the following structure:

As a transition to practice program, the goal of the Stanford Health Care Nurse Residency Program is to support the successful transition of newly graduated registered nurses into clinical practice. Our program is thoughtfully designed for highly motivated, determined and dedicated new graduate nurses. The program aspires to develop competent, compassionate, and committed clinical nurses who make a positive impact in the lives of our patients.

Immersive Clinical Training: 350+ hours of direct clinical orientation with a trained preceptor utilizing a structured precepting model
Application Based Learning: Monthly seminars that foster group learning facilitated by content experts focusing on- Leadership, Quality Outcomes, and Professional Role
Evidence-Based Practice Project: With the guidance of a Clinical Nurse Specialist coach, nurse residents identify a clinical problem, conduct a literature search, complete a critical appraisal of the literature, and offer recommendations for practice.
Support Structure: Group mentorship, peer support activities and individualized check-in sessions support the successful transition to practice for newly graduated nurses.

Specialties Offered

Our program hires nurse residents into a variety specialty areas. Participation is dependent on organizational need and subject to change. Below are the areas that participate in the nurse residency program:

Critical Care

Trauma/General Surgery
Cardiovascular
Cardiac Medicine
Medical Oncology
Neurology

Inpatient Medicine Units

General Medicine
Observation
Neurology
Advanced Lung Disease
Cardiology/Pulmonary

Inpatient Surgical Units

Neurosurgery
Orthopedic Surgery
Gynecological Surgery
Ear Nose & Throat/Plastics - Reconstructive Surgery
Trauma Surgery
Hepatobiliary Surgery
General Surgery
Transplant Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Colorectal Surgery
Urological Surgery
Cardiac Surgery

Inpatient Oncology

Bone Marrow Transplant
CAR-T
Hematology
General Oncology

Additional Specialties

Adult Emergency Department
Pediatric Emergency Department
Operating Room
Clinical Trials
Adult Psychiatry
Float Pool

Recruitment Process

Program Qualifications

Must be a graduate of an accredited ASN/ADN, BSN or MSN program.
- Accredited online programs included.
Must have graduated from an accredited nursing program within 18 months from cohort start date.
- Cohort 43- February 1, 2024
- Must not exceed 6 months full-time hours of paid RN work experience (equivalent 1040 hours)
Must hold current Basic Life Support Certification - issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) at time of hire
Must hold current Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification - issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) at time of hire
Must hold current Registered Nurse licensure – issued by the State of California, by the following dates:
- Cohort 43: July 11, 2025

Additional information

Interim permits are not accepted - interim is not the same as temporary license.
Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Critical Dates

Cohort 43
Applications Open: March 24, 2025 - April 6, 2025
Application Screening: April 14, 2025- May 23, 2025
Interview Invites Sent: June 2025
Interview Prep Webinar: June 4th - 11:30am PST - Register
Panel & Unit Interviews: June 16, 2025- June 27, 2025
Offers Made: June 30th, 2025 - July 9, 2025
Cohort Starts: August 18, 2025

** IF NOT SELECTED, you will recieve an e-mail letting you know of our decision.

Dates for our Spring and Fall 2026 cohorts will be available in late September.

Application Components

Cover Letter
Current Resume
School of Nursing Transcripts (official or unofficial)
Complete application questions - please answer the following questions within the electronic application (this is not a separate attachement):
- Tell us about a time during your clinical rotation when you experienced a caring moment with a patient. How did this moment affect the patient’s outcome and how has it changed your clinical practice?
- Tell us about a time you had an error in judgement (can be personally, professionally or academically). What happened? What did you learn from this experience? How has this experience shaped you into the nursing professional that you are today?
- Tell us about a time you provided service to a community (examples: assisted a neighbor in need, volunteered at a homeless shelter, coached a youth sports team). What type of service did you provide? How has serving a community prepared you for a profession that is committed to compassionate service?
- Successful completion of a nursing program requires hard work, persistence, dedication and resilience. Share with us what initially motivated you to pursue a career in nursing? What goals did you set for yourself? What obstacles did you have to overcome to achieve those goals?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who do I address the cover letter to?
Can I interview with more than one specialty?
Is your program tied to Stanford Children's?
Get these answered and more.

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