Nurse residency or new grad RN job?
How a nurse residency differs from a regular new grad RN job, what ANCC PTAP and Vizient/AACN mean, and how to choose between them.
Both are paid first RN jobs. A residency wraps a teaching program around the job; a regular new-grad job usually gives you a standard unit orientation and little more.
What a residency adds
Classes during your first months, a preceptor on your unit, a cohort of other new nurses you meet regularly, and check-ins over the first year. Most residencies hire in cohorts with set application rounds.
Accredited programs
Some residencies follow a published standard. ANCC PTAP (Practice Transition Accreditation Program) is an accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Vizient/AACN is a residency curriculum many hospitals use. Neither is required for a good program, but each tells you the program follows a known structure.
New-grad RN jobs
Hospitals and other employers also post RN jobs open to new graduates, often with rolling start dates instead of cohorts. Read the requirements: a posting that says new graduates may apply is different from one that simply does not mention experience.
Which to choose
If you want structured support in your first year, aim for a residency. If you need to start by a certain date, or the residencies near you are full, a new-grad job with a solid orientation is a good start too. Some contracts ask you to stay for a set time; read that part before you sign.
Questions
Is a nurse residency paid?
Yes. A nurse residency is a paid RN job with extra teaching, not unpaid training.