Nora McDonough Nurse Residency Program’s 14th Cohort

Last fall, 47 newly licensed nurses began as the 14th cohort in the Brigham’s Nora McDonough Nurse Residency Program, a robust, year-long program that focuses on leadership, patient outcomes and professional roles, as well as peer support and mentorship. Fast forward 14 months, and all 47 nurse residents remain at the Brigham, a testament to the support they received through the program and on their units.

“It’s remarkable to have a 100 percent retention rate in the first year,” said Mary Anne Murphy Kenyon, DNP, MPH, MS, RN, ONC, director of the program.

For comparison, the national turnover rate for first-year nurses is 31.7 percent, according to the NSI National Healthcare Retention Report. The Brigham’s Nurse Residency Program aims to help retain new graduates by surrounding them with the resources and support they need during the often-challenging transition to professional practice.

“We want to give new nurses everything they need to advance in their practice and feel confident in delivering care to patients in our high-acuity environment,” said Kenyon.

Nurse residents cite many components of the program that they found valuable, including seminars with guest speakers, simulations, the opportunity to share their experiences with peers in a safe space and the connections and friendships they formed with each other.

Three nurse residents from the 14th cohort shared their reflections on the program and their first year at the Brigham.

David Hart, BSN, RN, Connors Center for Women and Newborns (CWN) 7, Medical Oncology

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Nora McDonough Nurse Residency Program. Mary Anne and many faculty and staff brought a wealth of knowledge and presented on critical topics. They promoted best practice standards with a focus on improving care, patient safety and outcomes. The program encouraged collaboration and created a friendly, low-stress learning environment where we can apply what we learned at the bedside. They created a safe environment to tell stories and share experiences, as well as ask questions and discuss any hardships and barriers we faced.”

Chaya Malladi, BSN, RN, Braunwald Tower 12BC, Orthopaedics

“The nurse residency program provided me with a smooth transition into my new role as a registered nurse and is one of the reasons why I chose the Brigham. The program and my colleagues on Tower 12BC have made me a stronger, more confident and resilient nurse. One of the main reasons I’ve stayed at the Brigham is because of the friends I have made and the constant support I feel from colleagues, nurse director, PDM, nurse educators and all of the other resources we have access to. The nurse residency program provided us with all of the support we needed as new nurses — connections with many experienced nurses who guided us, as well as the chance to spend time with our peers, all of whom were facing similar challenges. Hearing similar experiences and realizing that we were not alone in occasionally feeling stressed and overwhelmed helped carry me through my first year.”

Sophia Whelpley, BSN, RN, CWN 8N, Surgical Oncology

“I absolutely loved the Nora McDonough Nurse Residency Program. It was therapeutic — Mary Anne began each cohort session by asking everyone to describe how they were feeling at the moment. It felt good to talk through my experiences and any fears I may have had and then to see that others were also going through those, too. The program also featured many talks that influenced my nursing practice. One that stood out to me was a talk by Dr. Houman Javedan on geriatrics and aging. Dr. Javedan shared best practices with communication and care of our older patients. There was wisdom and advice shared that went past textbooks and policy. Coming from Washington D.C., I didn’t know anyone at the Brigham, and I’m grateful that the program gave me my first professional work friends. I even celebrated my first birthday here with some cohort friends. Thanks to everyone’s encouragement and support, I made the decision to fulfill my dream of getting my MSN in education, too (two semesters left!)”