LVHN’s Nurse Residency Program is the first nurse residency program in Pennsylvania to receive “Accreditation with Distinction” from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Accreditation means Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN) program is among the best in the nation at preparing you for a successful and rewarding career in nursing.
What ANCC Accreditation Means to You
- Be empowered to change practice. You’ll participate in small-group discussions, learn how to effectively engage with other members of the health care team and effectively produce evidence-based practice projects. Previous nurse residency projects have changed practices at LVHN resulting in better patient outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
- Learn leadership skills. The program’s curriculum is designed to instill confidence and understanding in new nurses as they work through the challenges of becoming nurse leaders, clinical decision makers and competent researchers.
- Grow as a professional nurse. By participating in an ANCC-accredited nurse residency program that meets rigorous criteria, you’ll apply what you learned in school in real-world situations. You’ll develop professional nursing competency and confidence as a leader.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Nurse Residency Program?
The LVHN Nurse Residency Program is a yearlong development course that incorporates curriculum from Vizient and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). It is considered the gold standard among nurse residency programs and will provide newly licensed nurses with a foundation for leadership and critical thinking.
Who is eligible for the Nurse Residency Program?
All newly licensed nurses who have graduated from an accredited nursing program within the previous 12 months and starting their first professional nursing role are eligible. This includes bachelor’s prepared nurses (BSN), associate’s degree (AD) and diploma nurses.
What can I expect as a nurse resident at LVHN?
You will work in small groups with other nurse residents under the guidance of an experienced nurse resident facilitator. You and fellow nurse residents will meet for educational seminars, peer support discussions and guidance sessions led by your facilitators.
What else is involved?
As part of your small group, you and your nurse resident colleagues will develop a clinical, evidence-based performance improvement project, with the goal of identifying and improving patient care, efficiencies or other systems at LVHN. Evidence-based performance improvement studies are expected among the professional nursing staff within our health network, and have led to enhancements that result in better patient outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
What if I want to be part of LVHN but I haven’t graduated with my nursing degree yet?
Sophomores and juniors that haven’t graduated yet may participate in our Professional Student Nurse Patient Observation Assistant/Professional Student Nursing Assistant (PSPOA/PSNA) programs. These positions allow nursing students to work in an acute hospital setting and gain valuable insight during summer months, holiday breaks or throughout the school year.