HI hospitals collaborate on nurse residency program

Hawaii's major hospitals are collaborating to launch the first statewide nurse residency program this summer in an effort to keep more registered nurses in the profession. The program, sponsored by the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, will give new graduates a chance to gain necessary experience to land a job in the competitive field, as well as train them in specialty areas they otherwise might not work in, according to Gail Tiwanak, the center's executive director. "The residency program really is intended to support new grads as they transition into their first professional position, usually in a hospital setting," she said. "One of the big benefits of this is to improve job satisfaction and increase retention rates within the organization and the community."