Nurse Residency Program for Recent Graduates

Apply for the New Grad Residency Program

Join the UVA Health Nurse Residency Program


When you begin your nursing career here, whether as an extern or in our Nurse Residency Program (NRP), you’ll find clinical colleagues, preceptors, and mentors who are dedicated to helping you reach your full potential. And you’ll work in an advanced medical system that offers unlimited career paths, resources to continue your professional growth, and lucrative compensation and extraordinary benefits designed to enhance your overall wellness.

Why Choose UVA Health's Nurse Residency

Our program offers market-leading compensation for new graduates. At UVA Health, you will gain first-hand experience with a healthcare institution engrained in cutting-edge technology and research while earning a competitive salary:


Inpatient Nursing: $38.00 / hour         `
Ambulatory Nursing: $36.00 / hour            
Main OR Nursing: $39.50 / hour

Other Highlights:

  • Multiple pathways and ample resources for professional growth – clinical expertise, leadership, research, and more!
  • Seven unique nurse mentorship programs
  • Comprehensive resources and funding for professional board certifications
  • Strong culture of professional governance
  • ANCC Magnet® designated - 2006, 2015, 2020, 2025
  • ANCC PTAP® with Distinction Accredited New Graduate Nurse Residency Program
  • ANCC Accredited with Distinction Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program
  • Robust Office of Nursing Research and resources, including EBP Academy, EBSP Symposium, one-on-one coaching, and more
  • Specialized training for patient populations across the continuum of care
  • Internal and External Recognition opportunities | DAISY, BEE, Nursing Excellence Awards, Virginia Nurses Foundation, and more
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Watch our video to learn more about how UVA Health’s 12-month RN Program for recent nursing graduates is designed to support associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree nurses thrive in their transition into their nursing careers.

Overview of UVA Health's Nurse Residency Program (NRP) 


Our nurse residency program focuses on three areas critical to the nursing practice and the success of nurses: 

  • Leadership
  • Patient outcomes
  • Professional role of a nurse


Throughout your year-long orientation, you’ll have monthly classes featuring evidence-based content essential to developing clinicians, peer discussion about transition-to-practice issues, and dialogue with UVA content experts to expand your clinical knowledge.


It's our goal to help rising nurses thrive early in their career journey. Our thoughtful and attentive orientation offers protected time to get acclimated into your role and understand your practice setting. You’ll receive extraordinary guidance with an extended preceptorship from our Magnet®-designated nurse staff. And you’ll benefit from our extensive educational and professional training resources.

Who Qualifies for our Nurse Residency Program (NRP)?

UVA Health’s NRP is a one-year program supporting recent graduates with:

  • Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) 
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Our nursing residents don’t just train for success; they contribute to it. As nurse resident in our RN Residency Program, you’ll immediately become a member of the Nursing Professional Governance Organization (NPGO). As a valued member of our professional nursing staff, you’ll be empowered to contribute your voice and make a positive difference in patient outcomes by working with other UVA Health nurses to establish professional standards of clinical practice and professional development. Like all UVA Health nurses, you will have access to innovative programs that foster camaraderie through continued education, training, and professional advancement opportunities.

UVA Health offers outstanding clinical preparation for current nursing students through our paid summer Nurse Externship program. If you’ve got a summer between now and your graduation, this externship is a great way to gain valuable experience working alongside our nationally renowned care teams.

Experience the pride that comes with working with a national leader in medical care, research, and innovation. Let us help you take the first step into a nursing career with infinite possibilities at UVA Health.

What makes UVA Health different?
We are a close-knit, collaborative team that values the expertise, opinions and contributions of our staff. Our proven patient-first focus drives everything we do and fuels our many accomplishments — from Magnet® designation for our nurses to national recognitions as a top hospital and employer.

Exceptional benefits package
We want our employees to be happy, healthy, and have peace of mind. Our generous benefits package allows you to focus on what's important - making UVA an ideal place to study, work, and grow. View the UVA Health Benefits webpage.

Nursing Professional Governance Organization
As professional nurses, we are accountable for governing our own practice. Our NPG structure is the mechanism by which we engage in shared decision making related to the outcomes of our nursing professional practice environment. Learn more: UVA Health's Nursing Professional Governance Organization.

Quality & safety

 Delivering the highest-quality, most advanced and safest healthcare to our patients is our top priority. That’s why we never stop striving to make our best better. As a leading healthcare institution, our goal is to be the safest place in America to receive care and to work, because patient and team member safety is essential to providing the best healthcare. 

"UVA Health is heavily invested in our nurses. The level of attention we give to personal and professional satisfaction makes this such a rewarding place to begin or continue a nursing career."

Kathy Baker, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Chief Nursing Officer
"Nurses need to have the tools, the skills and knowledge to be the leaders in our healthcare system and to drive the change that we need to transform health care."
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Dr. Clareen Wiencek,
Advanced Program Director
"The Nurse Residency Program was a tremendous stepping stone for me as I began my nursing career. It really added an extra layer of education and clinical training that gave me the confidence to excel."
Former Nurse Resident
The highest starting nurse salaries we’ve ever offered

$10K Incentive Bonus with $5K paid in your first paycheck

Tremendous full-time benefits, including health, dental, vision, and a superior retirement savings program

Generous paid time off
Self-scheduling

Dedicated onboarding and preceptorship from our team of Magnet®-designated nurses

Opportunities to explore and discover your professional passions across our comprehensive health system
Nurse Residency Program to bridge your transition from student to practicing nurse

Clinician 1 Transition-To-Practice Mentorship Program

Clinical Career Ladder to help guide our young nurses on their career journeys
Continuing education assistance, certification pay, and tuition reimbursement

Promotion to Clinician 2 with a 5% pay raise upon completion of Nurse Residency Program

​​​​​​​And much more

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What is the Nurse Residency Program?

It is a 1-year program that every new grad must complete. It meets once a month for 4 hours. It’s designed to be fun and interactive and helps new graduate nurses make the transition from student nurses to experienced nurses. You will also work on a group evidence-based practice project which will be presented in the last class. All new graduate nurses hired to UVAH must be in patient-facing roles at least while completing the NRP. At the end of the year, there is an expectation of advancement to Clinician 2 RN. 
What can I expect for pay range?

Starting base rates for all new graduate RNs will be $38 (All Inpatient areas)
$36 (Ambulatory)
$39.50 (Operating Room)

Shift Differentials are as follows:
Weekday Evenings - $3.00, Nights - $4.45
Weekends Days - $3.75, Evenings - $5.65, Nights - $7.65
Can I start working before I pass my NCLEX?

To begin employment as a Registered Nurse you must have passed the NCLEX and have an active license with the Virginia Board of Nursing verified 1 week prior to your proposed start date
What are the start dates for NRP?

Start dates are generally flexible, although some units require all their new graduates to start on the same date (or within a range of dates).For Winter grads, start dates are typically offered between February and late-March, and for Spring/Summer grads it’s usually between Jully through the end of September.
What is the New Grad Nurse Incentive Program? 

The New Graduate Nurse Incentive Program is designed to provide additional financial support through the first few years of practice.  You will receive $10,000 total before taxes, paid in the following installments - $5,000 paid on your first paycheck, then $5,000 after the 1st work anniversary! We do not offer relocation assistance for this role.
What is the time commitment if I accept an offer?

By accepting the offer, we ask that you stay with the organization for at least two years. This allows you to complete the residency program during your first year and implement all that training during the second year. If you decide to leave UVA Health before the two-year mark, you will be marked as ineligible for rehire and ineligible for the remaining distributions of the retention bonus program. You may apply to work in other areas/departments after you’ve been in the Clin 1 role for at least one year, have completed the NRP in good-standing, and have advanced to the Clin 2 level. If you remain in a full-time position, you are still eligible to receive the retention incentives.