Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program Receives National Accreditation

The Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program recently received accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), placing it among only 208 programs worldwide to earn the distinction.

The ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) sets the global standard for residency and fellowship programs that transition registered nurses and advanced practitioners into new practice settings.

Accreditation is granted for four years and includes the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre campuses in Luzerne County and the Geisinger Community Medical Center campus in Lackawanna County.

“We offer the only nurse residency program in northeastern Pennsylvania, and we’re proud of this accreditation that puts us on the same level as elite programs around the world,” said Steven Rhone, RN, chief nursing officer for Geisinger’s northeast region.

Achieving PTAP accreditation requires a rigorous application process, submission of a self-study document that showcases the program and a site visit, which was conducted virtually this year. To be recognized with distinction is a testament to the valuable hands-on experience and personal support the program provides new nurses.

“This is a tremendous honor,” said Lindsey Ford, DNP, RN, director of nursing education and Magnet for Geisinger’s northeast region. “It demonstrates our program’s commitment to helping new nurses acclimate to the clinical setting, so they’ll excel in their nursing careers at Geisinger.”

The Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program was established in 2015, and all new graduate nurses are entered into the 12-month residency. It’s designed to transition newly graduated nurses from academia to professional practice in a welcoming and supportive environment.