New Graduate Nurse Residency Program

Preceptorship: The Critical Care Unit residency program at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center consists of up to 26 weeks of 1:1 orientation with a preceptor. Each preceptorship is personalized to embrace the orientee’s experiences and learning styles, so that competence is assured with the support of the unit’s preceptors.

Didactic courses: Specialized CCU-specific education in the CCU is taught through a combination of self-paced online courses, in-person hands-on didactic courses, and specialty classes to support the skill sets and critical thinking required for critical care.

The Family Birth Center at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center assists families during pregnancy, around the time of birth and in the transition period following birth. The Mother Baby unit consists of 17 patient care rooms where we care for parents and their newborns. Patients move up to the Mother Baby unit after birth once both mother and baby are stable. We provide care in a couplet care model – meaning that one nurse cares for both patients and the family together. This allows for continuity of care, fewer interruptions and a better understanding of the needs of the dyad. Mother Baby nurses have been referred to as the “angels” and “soul savers” for new parents. It is a fragile time for parents who are exhausted and often have a lot of expectations about this period of their life. The education and emotional support needs of these patients are high, and it is a very rewarding field. Seeing them safely and successfully through this transition is an honor.

Mother Baby is a great place to begin a nursing career. It is a supportive environment where new nurses are nurtured to become their best. In addition, it is a great launch pad for career development. Our Mother Baby nurses have the opportunity to become preceptors and team leaders within Mother Baby. They can work on various committees within the department. They work closely with nurses from Labor and Delivery and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Mother Baby nurses can train to float to Labor and Delivery and can transfer into one of the higher acuity departments when they are ready.

This is a 12 week preceptorship.

The operating department at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center is a fast paced, team environment that performs orthopedic, general, gynecology, urology, and robotic surgeries. We provide a six-month orientation period, starting with the Periop 101 program, through AORN.

This program provides the baseline information for a brand new nurse starting in the operating department. It walks you through important information about each stage of surgery and the AORN guidelines that we follow in the OR. This is a close knit team, working together with scrub techs to provide the best care for each of our patients.

This preceptorship is six months, with self-paced didactic Periop 101 courses.

The Surgical Unit at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center provides inpatient care to all adult and pediatric surgical patients requiring acute care. Skill mix includes pediatric, spine and joint, general surgery, trauma, ENT, urological, and gynecological trained staff. Staffing is acuity and census based. Average nurse to patient ratios are:

• Days – 1 nurse to 4-5 patients
• Nights – 1 nurse to 5-6 patients
• Pediatric patients are 1 nurse to 4 patients around the clock

Orientation on the surgical unit follows a phased skill acquisition model. There is no defined timeline as it is modified based on the individual needs of the nurse. The average timeline is approximately 8-9 weeks for new grads.

The medical unit at Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center is a 39-bed unit, serving a diverse patient population. We treat everyone from birth to death, acute and chronic illness, pediatrics, end of life care, behavioral health, general surgery, chemotherapy, dialysis, and more.

We offer pediatric and chemotherapy training and certification to nurses interested in expanding their areas of practice. New graduate nurses receive on average 8-10 weeks of orientation, depending on individual needs and comfort level. Our top priority is in making sure everyone has the tools and training they need to be successful and autonomous. We believe that nursing is a team sport and pride ourselves on a healthy team culture. Staffing is acuity and census based. Average nurse to patient ratios are as:

• Days – 1 nurse to 4-5 patients
• Nights – 1 nurse to 5-6 patients
• Pediatric patients are 1 nurse to 4 patients
• Initiation of chemotherapy is staffed 1 nurse to 1 patient

This unique department is comprised of small specialty groups of highly skilled experts that support patient care throughout the hospital. The Bozeman Health nursing pool is where nurses are scheduled and work in a variety of departments as well as have the opportunity to cross train and support specialty departments. Our nursing pool values professionalism, teamwork and accountability.

Our registered nurses are accountable for the coordination of nursing care, including direct patient care patient/family education and transition of care. Nurses function within the Bozeman Health standards of care which include accountability for planning, implementing, evaluating and communication all phases of nursing care for assigned patients. Nurses possess excellent communication skills.

Preceptorship: The Emergency Department residency program consists of 16-26 weeks for 1:1 orientation time with a selected preceptor. Each preceptorship is personalized to embrace the orientee’s experiences and learning styles, so that competence is assured with the support of the unit’s preceptors. We focus on team nursing to support growth in a fast paced environment.

Didactic courses: Specialized emergency specific education in the ED taught through a combination of self-paced online courses, skills days, performance improvement projects, and specialty classes to support the skill sets and critical thinking required for emergency medicine.