Watertown, N.Y. (WWTI) – Samaritan’s nursing leadership created the Emergency Nurse Residency Program in 2022 and has recently had its first nurse complete the program, according to a press release. On September 14, Sarah Wallace, RN was the first to complete the Samaritan Medical Center Emergency Nurse Residency Program.

“The main reason for my participation in the Emergency Nurse Residency Program stems from the love for emergency medicine I developed when I was a patient care assistant, — The staff that is/was there helped to form my interest in Nursing and encouraged me to pursue the field. From providers to ancillary staff, I was able to learn something from someone each day that I was at work.””

Sarah Wallace, RN

This program started in 2022 when the hospital recognized the need for front-line emergency nurses while solving the time gap of one year of experience before a graduate nurse can work in emergency care required by NYS. The program offers a curriculum tailored to meet the need for well-rounded knowledge and a broad skill set of nurses who work in critical care.

Wallace added, “I believe that this program is a great program to help new nurses explore emergency medicine while encompassing other departments. This aids in strengthening the community within Samaritan by having the residences go on rotations to each floor.”

New graduate nurses are guided through Samaritan’s nursing recruitment team to the residency program and they do not need to be a licensed Registered Nurse before they apply.

“We are encouraged with Sarah’s graduation that we have developed a program that will help us train and retain RNs in the Emergency Department, this is our long-term goal, — Currently we have another seven students at various stages in the program and we look forward to accepting new nurses as they apply. We also plan to expand our nursing residency in more areas. These programs work.”

Jacqueline Dawe, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, Samaritan Medical Center

In the program, the new graduate nurses are exposed to all the areas and departments in the hospital including:

  • Medical/surgical floors;
  • Labor and delivery;
  • Pediatrics;
  • Behavioral health; and
  • Daily assignments and responsibilities in the emergency department. 

Graduate nurses or nurses who will soon graduate, are encouraged to call Samaritan’s nursing recruitment team at 315-779-5236.