Supporting New LTC Nurses through Virtual Residency Modules

Supporting RNs’ Transition to Practice in Long-Term Care

New nurses typically join residency programs to ease their transition into practice—but in long-term care, these programs are rare. This lack of support can discourage nurses from entering the field or leave them feeling unprepared, leading to higher turnover and lower quality of care.

Our new virtual residency modules for Long-Term Care are designed to change that. Accessible and cost-effective, these interactive modules include up-to-date content, built-in knowledge checks, and skill checklists. They also promote mentorship by helping new nurses connect with experienced staff. A mentor resource list is included to guide experienced nurses in supporting and teaching new team members.

These modules and mentor resources were developed and compiled by Dr. Christina Coulter, Dr. Kristen Childress, Sarah McKiddy BSN, PhDc, Mimi Kande BSN, DNP, and designed and edited by Laurel Barchet.

Access the modules for free here!

Each module takes about 30-minutes to complete. We recommend that nurses engage with the modules on a weekly basis and complete the 4 modules over about 1-month.

Mentorship Instructions:

We recommend that nurses complete the residency alongside a mentor nurse with at least a few years of experience in long-term care. If possible, we recommend that nurses taking these modules:

Step 1: Ask an experienced nurse that you trust to be your mentor.
Step 2: Ask your mentor to explore the mentor resources below to understand best practices for supporting you as a nurse new to LTC.
Step 3. Have your mentor download or print out the mentor checklists attached in each module. Have them take a look at the modules themselves, so they know what you’re learning.
Step 4. Evaluate yourself on skills using the skill checklists, then ask your mentor to work through these skills with you. (It may take longer than 4 weeks to practice these skills, so they may not necessarily be covered in alignment with the subjects in each module.)
Step 5. As you work through the e-learning modules over about 4 weeks, ask if your mentor can meet with you weekly. During weekly meetings, discuss the learning from the modules, and cover the ‘Mentor Connect’ to discuss weekly learning.
Step 6. After your complete the modules, ask if your mentor is willing to continue supporting your professional growth going forward. Consider monthly check-ins to discuss clinical experiences and growth opportunities.