The 12-month Pediatric Nurse Residency Program, also known as our Transition to Practice Program (TPP), is designed to provide the nurse resident with an opportunity to transition into the role of a professional nurse under the guidance and support of our clinical nursing staff, nurse educators and program facilitators.

The program includes a Human Resources orientation, a Unit-Based orientation, and acute and critical care tracks.

The acute and critical care tracks include curricula designed to augment the learning experience for the nurse resident through professional development and to achieve the overall goals of the program. The acute care track includes nurse residents from inpatient acute care, radiology, psychiatry and peri-operative services. The critical care track includes nurse residents from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department (at Sheikh Zayed Campus and United Medical Center).

Children’s National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., celebrates 150 years of pediatric care, research, and commitment to community. Volunteers opened the hospital in 1870 with 12 beds for children displaced after the Civil War. Today, 150 years stronger, it is among the nation’s top 10 children’s hospitals. It is ranked No.1 for newborn care for the fifth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children’s National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. In 2021, the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus opened, the first in the nation dedicated to pediatric research. Children’s National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children’s National is home to the Children’s National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation and is the nation’s seventh-highest NIH-funded children’s hospital. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional, and national levels.

The inpatient Child Psychiatric Unit is a 12-bed unit. It is a short-term child oriented program designed to provide crisis intervention and stabilization to children 3-13 years of age. The average length of stay is three to seven days. Each patient receives an initial psychiatric evaluation upon admission. While on the unit treatment may include additional psychological and medical evaluations as needed.

The treatment team can consist of the following: Attending Psychiatrist, Individual Therapist (Residents/Fellows), Medical Students, Psychology Interns, Family Therapist (LSW), Expressive Art Therapist, Educational Assistant, Registered Nurses, and Child Psychiatric Specialists.

The inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Unit  is a 14-bed short-term treatment unit that provides an extensive bio-psychosocial and treatment services to the adolescent population between 14-17 years of age. The program is designed to provide a safe and therapeutic environment to facilitate stabilization, evaluation, treatment, and follow up care of the hospitalized adolescent. Milieu Management is utilized to effect a positive change in the patient’s behavior by providing a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages and reinforces constructive interactions with others.

All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, Children's National Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Professional Model of Care requires registered professional nurses to be responsible and accountable for their own practice. Children's National supports the development of RN relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well being of the community at large.

Minimum Education
Bachelor's Degree (Required)

Minimum Work Experience
new graduate nurse

Required Skills/Knowledge
The licensed Registered Nurse will successfully complete the hospital and nursing orientation at Children’s National.
Identify resources and know when to ask for assistance.
Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
Identify self learning needs and seek resources to meet those needs.

Required Licenses and Certifications
Registered Nurse in District of Columbia Registered Nurse licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia dependent upon location of practice. (Required)Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (Required)

Functional Accountabilities
Transformational Leadership

• Contribute to MagnetTM re-designation as evidenced by timely annual completion of professional profile and participation in relevant councils, committees, task forces and/or community outreach.

• Demonstrate critical thinking skills as evidenced by successful completion of change project.

• Recognize need to escalate patient care issues via chain of command.

• Utilize the currently identified process to ensure accurate hand off.

• Demonstrate ability to work cohesively with ancillary staff to meet patient care needs.

• Cooperate in the implementation of change and support management decisions.

• Demonstrate empathy , concern and a desire to be helpful to others.

Structural Empowerment

• Complete all mandatory education and regulatory requirements and participates in professional activities to enhance nursing practice.

• Participate in performance appraisal and peer review.

• Support department goals for formal education, national certification, national safety standards and service excellence.

• Work in a collaborative manner with all members of the healthcare team and is viewed positively by coworkers.

Exemplary Professional Practice

• Gather physical and psychosocial data on patient and family and complete accurate and timely patient assessment.

• Demonstrate clinical skills necessary to care for assigned patients.

• Develop assessment, organizational and prioritization skills necessary to care for patients whose clinical needs change throughout the shift.

• Complete documentation in accordance with policies and procedures.

• Continually assess and plan proactively for educational needs throughout hospital/clinic stay and before time of discharge.

• Organize care to complete assignment on time.

• Demonstrate caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.

Safety

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performanc

Organizational Accountabilities
New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements

• Participate in efforts to optimize unit and hospital operations through quality improvement (rounding, handwashing etc.).

• Maintain awareness of changes or new information related to specialty area.

Organizational Commitment/Identification

• Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization

• Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity

• Maintain confidentiality at all times

Customer Service

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

Teamwork/Communication

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others’ ideas and opinions

Performance Improvement/Problem-solving

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

Cost Management/Financial Responsibility

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things