Registered Nurse (RN) Resident, Surgical Trauma ICU

Overview

Launch Your Nursing Career with Confidence at Wake Med

Every new nurse hits the same wall somewhere in the first six months: the gap between what you learned in school and what the shift actually asks of you. At Wake Med, we don’t pretend that wall isn’t there, so we built a year-long program around getting you over it.

Our accredited Nurse Residency Program has guided new graduate nurses through their first year since 2004. We call it “Putting the Puzzle Together”, and it works: 95% of our 2024 residents were still with us at the one-year mark, across a cohort of 193 nurses. You’ll be paired with a trained preceptor, supported by two dedicated Nurse Residency Coordinators, and move through the year alongside a cohort of peers experiencing exactly what you are facing.

Six milestone classes anchor the year, timed to the moments new nurses tell us they need them most:

• Sorting Through the Pieces (2 weeks) — welcome, networking, Q&A with former residents

• Looking at the Big Picture (1 month) — quality improvement and the impact you make

• Building the Framework (3 months) — clinical judgment, time management, delegation, and an honest conversation about reality shock

• One Piece at a Time (6 months) — ethics, feedback, and navigating difficult conversations

• I'm the Last Piece (9 months) — career development, evidence-based practice, Clinical Nurse Council

• A Star of Excellence (12 months) — a celebration of your transition to practice, with leadership present

Alongside these classes, you'll have access to specialty clinical training including Cardiac Rhythm Interpretation, Basic Arrest Management, ED and Neuro Core, OB Core, NIH Stroke Scale, Vascular Access Excellence, and more.

• Provide comprehensive nursing care through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care.

• Develop clinical judgment, critical-thinking skills, and professional nursing competencies through guided mentorship and hands-on experience.

• Grow into a specialty – acute care, critical care, emergency services, women’s services, perioperative services, and others

• Graduates of an accredited ADN or BSN program

• Newly licensed RN or nurses with 6 months or less of post-licensure experience

• Candidates eligible for RN licensure in North Carolina

• Individuals who are passionate about patient care and committed to continuous learning

• Team players who value collaboration, communication, and compassionate care

• Magnet Recognition with Distinction – the highest national recognition for nursing excellence and the first hospital system in North Carolina to earn this honor

• A guaranteed structured first year with dedicated residency coordinators, not just a preceptor and ‘good luck’

• Clear advancement through the RN Career Ladder and clinical advancement pathways

• Tuition reimbursement and ongoing professional development resources

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

• A c competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package, free onsite parking (trust us, it’s a thing), and relocation assistance available for eligible candidates

Our Winter 2027 cohort begins Monday, February 8, 2027, with offers extended no later than January 13, 2027, and licensure verification by February 3, 2027. Our Summer 2027 cohort begins Monday, June 21, 2027.

The Clinical Nurse, Resident is responsible for providing total comprehensive nursing to patients and their families through the implementation of a plan of care. The plan is based upon the patient's developmental and health care needs identified through the assessment of the patient's physical, psychological, socioeconomic status, and physician orders regarding care, treatment, and education. The Clinical Nurse understands the needs of the organization and supports the mission, values, and management of patient care services.

The Clinical Nurse actively supports and incorporates ANA Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice, North Carolina Board of Nursing Practice Act, Wake Med's Division of Nursing Professional Practice model, and Wake Med's Patient & Family…