Residencies have long served to properly educate and prepare doctors for the active practice of medicine. The same principles are applied to nursing in an attempt to both encourage increased enrollment in nursing programs, and to decrease turnover.

             The benefits of a nursing residency program:.

             Current staff nurses who served as mentors or precepts in these program have responded positively to the new policy, as they developed a greater sense of control over the direction of the program, and reported higher levels of enthusiasm when implementing the program. (Williams et al).

             New staff nurses develop higher confidence in their ability to perform the necessary job functions as a result of participating in residency programs. The continued hands-on practice serves to acclimate the student to his or her responsibilities on the job. Additionally, the student's feel more accountable for their own learning and retention of the material, and as a result are far more proactive in acquiring the knowledge and skills associated with the profession.

             Socialization of new nurses takes place due to working alongside preceptors. The preceptors are experienced and established nursing professionals, who have volunteered to serve as a mentor to the new students. The two will work closely with one another in caring for patients, and otherwise attending to the regular duties of a nurse. This creates a teamwork oriented atmosphere, and allows the mentoring nurses to feel valued for their greater experience. This also helps the students to feel like a contributing member of the team.

             Nursing residency results in reduced costs associated with recruiting and training staff nurses. There is a significant saving in time spent on recruitment, as well as associated dollar values. The average time invested in recruitment of a nurse is 60 to 90 days. Orientation programs can cost from $8,000 to $50,000. In 1989, hospital turnover costs were estimated at $25,000 on average.