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Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mission is to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans. This statement echoes the reverence given to the men and women who serve in the American military with honor. It shows that this body is tasked with the responsibility of serving them respectfully like how they served their nation.

We are dedicated to improving health, improving lives, and exceeding expectations of the communities we serve.  The Kansas City VA (KCVA) health care system mission is to “Honor America’s Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and wellbeing.” The Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Resident (PB-RNR) program focus is to support the KCVA vision of being the health care system Veterans trust and choose.  The Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Resident mission folds into the overall KCVA mission through facilitation of new graduate nurses’ transition from novice nurse to professional nurse, building on and extending beyond hospital orientation and unit-specific orientation.  It is well documented in the literature that the first year of a nursing career is challenging and can be overwhelming.  KCVA is committed to support the new graduate nurse, not only in the development of their technical skills throughout orientation, but also in their professional growth and development as a KCVA nurse.  Through the PB-RNR, residents receive multiple modes of support in their first year of practice. 

The PB-RNR program is to assist the novice nurse as they transition into competent clinical practice in the Veterans Health Administration through a one-year program, that supports learning experiences in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. New graduate transition to nursing practice is a vulnerable time for new graduate nurses

The PB-RNR program is to allow for transition of new graduates to occur in a fully supportive environment that engages the use of informatics, leaders, simulation, and preceptors upon entry throughout rotations, and upon completion. The philosophy of the KCVA PB-RNR is to funnel all goals and objectives through a paradigm of caring and respect.  Caring and respect for each resident, for every colleague and co-worker, and for every Veteran and their family members.  The transitional first year of nursing practice is an evolutionary pathway that should prepare the resident for lifelong learning and develop a passion for respecting and caring for America’s Veterans.  

Program Goals

Upon completion of the program, the nurse resident will:

  • Demonstrate clinical competencies in an integrated VA-based, Veteran-centric environment utilizing an evidence-based curriculum and a variety of clinical practice settings.
  • Develop effective decision-making skills related to clinical judgment and performance.
  • Provide clinical leadership at the point of patient care and on interdisciplinary teams.
  • Focus on quality, safety and improving patient outcomes of care.
  • Formulate an individual career plan that promotes a life-long commitment to professional nursing.
  • Develop strategies to incorporate research-based and other evidence into practice.
  • Transition from an advanced beginner to competent professional.
  • Strengthen commitment to nursing as a professional career choice

Expected Outcomes of the program include but are not limited to:

  • A 90% completion rate for participants to complete the residency program in each cohort.
  • Achievement of a “5” or higher (on a Likert scale ranging from 1: Critical Deficiency, 2: Basic, 3: Novice, 4: Intermediate, 5: Advanced Beginner to 6 Competent) on 12-month OAA Competency Assessment Self Evaluation and Preceptor Evaluation.
  • A 100% completion rate of an evidence-based practice project for residents completing the residency in each cohort.
  • Achievement of “3” or higher (on a Likert scale ranging from 1: strongly disagree to 4: strongly agree) on 12-month OAA Confidence in Practice Assessment Self Evaluation.
  • A 90% initial hiring rate of PB-RNR participants in the Veterans Health Administration system at a nurse 1, level 3, step 6 or 7 upon entry (The KCVA PB-RNR program will track graduate’s promotion progression from entry level as related to the VHA Nurse Professional Standards Board).
  • A 90% overall retention rate of residents at one-year post PB-RNR.
  • An 80% overall retention rate of residents at year two post PB-RNR.

Purpose

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the nation’s largest integrated health care system and is responsible for caring for our nation’s Veterans. As the population ages and faces new challenges, VHA is committed to making quality nursing care a priority. With the PB-RNR, VHA continues to expand its workforce and meet the needs of those entering the practice of nursing through the promotion of academic progression.  

Program Overview

KCVA is in partnership with the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Nursing for the Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program. The 12-Month program provides clinical and academic experiences for new graduates bridging from a baccalaureate education into a professional nurse. KCVA and UMKC partnership promotes professional role transition integration and socializations of safe care delivery, advancement in critical thinking, academic and professional excellence, and a learning environment for developing evidence-based clinical care.  

Each week throughout the program participants will be in a minimum of 8 hours of didactic/experiential coursework in a wide variety of topics including: Quality and Safety, Patient & Family Centered Care, Management of Patient Care Delivery, Management of the Changing Patient Condition, Communication and Conflict Management, Informatics and Technology, Performance Improvement and EBP, Ethical Decision Making, Stress Management, Hospital System Focus, Flow Innovations, and High Reliability Organizations. Additionally, low, and high-fidelity simulation modules are utilized to enhance training with QSEN, physical assessment, and critical thinking skills. 

Upon successful completion of the residency program RNs are given a certificate, hiring preference for open positions at any VA and the chance to interview for vacancies at the KCVA, and an automatic step increase after hire.  

Position Details

Duration:  12 months
Position(s): 6
Estimated Stipend: $56,457
Application Deadline: Open Enrollment
Interview Required: Yes

Benefits

  • Health insurance 
  • Annual leave (vacation) 
  • Sick leave (days off for illness/medical appointments/family care) 
  • 11 paid federal holidays  
  • Automatic step increase upon hire after successful completion of the program  
  • Hiring preference for open positions at any VA upon completion of the residency   

Residency Structure

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 4 months 4 months (varying 1 day - 3 - week rotations) 4 months Home unit Clinical practice rotations Home unit Relationship building with preceptor & home unit staff
Focus on advanced beginner to competent skill building
Acute mental health
Emergency department
Intensive care units
Operating room
Gastrointestinal lab
Cath lab
Outpatient clinics
Focus on competent practices in home unit settings
Increased leadership exposure and preceptor courses
Weekly classes
Courses on EBP
Develop evidence based practice project
Weekly classes Weekly classes
evidence based practice poster presentation

Applicant qualifications

  • U.S. Citizen  
  • Recent graduate with a BSN of the last 12 months
  • Recent graduate must have a 3.0 GPA
  • Licensure: current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States of the District of Columbia  
  • Active BLS certification  
  • Proficient in written and spoken English  
  • Pass a background/security investigation as required by the KCVA Medical Center  
  • Pass pre-trainee physical examination  
  • Random drug testing required  

Application requirements

  • Resume  
  • Official undergraduate school transcripts in a sealed envelope  
  • Two letters of recommendation  
  1. One must be from a faculty member or program director  
  2. In a sealed envelope or email directly from the writer  
  • Personal Statements  
  1. What experiences (personal, professional, educational, and/or clinical) informed your choice of nursing as a profession?  
  2. What are your goals and aspirations for this residency program, and how do they fit with your early and long-term career plans as a nurse?  
  3. Discuss your interests in working with veterans at the KCVAMC.  
  4. Maximum: 2 pages  

PB-RNRs Perspective: Nurse preceptors:

I would like to say thank you to all the Nurse Preceptors at the VA Hospital. As new nurses coming in, ready to work and new nurses coming in, ready to work and fresh out of nursing school, I can confidently say that we learned very quickly. The “NCLEX world and the real world” are two different places.

Nurse Preceptors are incredibly essential and always play a significant role with the transition for new nurses especially the first few months. This is when many of us feel overwhelmed, scared, and unfamiliar to our new RN jobs.

Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge, providing a safe work environment, always encouraging us, and always answering our questions (no matter how silly they sound).

Thank you for your warmth and compassionate hearts, and for nurturing our fragile confidence.

Sujhan Montalto BSN, RN
(PB-RNR Program)

How to Apply:

Completed application and any questions should be directed to:

Sharon Shade RN, MA  
PBRNR Program Director/Nurse Manager
816-572-7653
sharon.shade@va.gov  

Susan Bennett RN, MSN, APRN 
Faculty Advisor to KCVA PBRNR
UMKC School of Nursing & Health Studies
bennettse@umkc.edu  

Accreditation

Kansas City VA Medical Center is seeking Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation for our Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency program (PB-RNR) on September 28 thru September 30, 2022. CCNE is an outside accrediting body and serves as a statement of good educational practice in the field of nursing.  This notice is to inform all stakeholders of our upcoming survey.

CCNE Third Party Comments
Announcement update August 23, 2022


The Kansas City VA Medical Center Post Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program Upcoming Accreditation Review


On September 28th, 29th, and 30th, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) will be conducting a site visit to evaluate Kansas City VA Medical Center’s Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency (PB-RNR) Program for accreditation.


In accordance with CCNE’s procedures, the Commission provides the opportunity for program constituents and other interested parties to submit, in writing, third-party comments concerning a program’s qualifications for accreditation.


CCNE shares third-party comments only with the evaluation team. Prior to the on-site evaluation, the team has access to these comments. At no time during the review process are the comments shared with the program, the Residency Accreditation Committee, or the Board. During it’s review of the program, the evaluation team considers third-party comments, if any, that relate to the program’s qualifications for accreditation.

If you would like to submit a third-party comment for the Kansas City VA Medical Center PB-RNR Program currently under review for CCNE Accreditation, please email them for consideration by September 6, 2022.

Or, if you prefer, mail comments to:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Attn: Third-Party Comments
655 K Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001