How Nursing Resident Apprenticeship Programs are Evolving Post-COVID

Nursing Resident Apprenticeships were developed to provide a supportive structure to transition new grad RNs into confident and competent caregivers. However, healthcare delivery is an ever evolving practice and COVID-19 has made the latest impact. For the workforce, the experience highlighted the need to foster resilience and adaptability to support long-term careers in nursing. While for facilities to build a robust healthcare workforce, the focus is on the importance of the transition to practice experience and promoting a supportive environment for practice development. 

On this journey, transition to practice programs have evolved alongside the shifting needs of the nursing workforce to provide a dynamic framework to prepare new grad RNs for the demands of clinical practice. By incorporating online learning paths, providing preceptor/ mentor training, and focusing on long-term skill development, learning programs support healthcare facilities in creating a nursing workforce prepared for an unpredictable future. 

Reframing Purpose and Goals

Programs like TruMont’s RN Resident Apprenticeship were designed to translate the education new nurses gained in school to the application of these concepts in clinical practice. While the transition has been a difficult one pre- and post-COVID, with the knowledge the healthcare system gained from this experience, transition to practice programs prioritize resilience, self-awareness, and nurturing a professional development pipeline to prepare confident and competent caregivers. 

In this way, Resident Apprenticeship Programs offer a way to address some of the top reasons novice nurses exit their position within their first year including, difficulty adjusting to the clinical environment, burnout, and trouble with enculturation. 

Online Learning Paths

One of the benefits of Resident Apprenticeship Programs is the ability of online learning to supplement clinical experiences. Online modules provide on-demand, self-paced learning that reviews key clinical concepts while covering information to encourage self-reflection and evaluation. Reviewing nursing concepts provides an opportunity for new grad RNs to revisit their understanding with the new context their clinical experiences offer. Additionally, learners foster tools to reflect and assess strengths, weaknesses, and how to approach nursing situations moving forward. 

With the unique differences of adult learners, combining online learning with in-person experiences reinforces skills while identifying space for more focused learning.  This approach, especially in continuing education, improves understanding of concepts and retention of information. 

Preceptor/ Mentor Training

Preceptor/ mentorship is an invaluable support system for novice nurses as they develop their practice. Historically, nurse preceptor/mentors shared insight on patient care and how to nurture clinical judgement but modern times add emotional intelligence, professional development, and technological innovations to the mix. No matter how advanced a nurse is in practice, translating their experience to become a beneficial guide to another can be enhanced with teaching skills and preparation to make the most of every teaching opportunity. By training preceptors/ mentors on learning styles and modalities, critical thinking, communication, and workplace acclimation, they gain the resources and leadership skills to excel in their role. 

Long-Term Skill Development

Evidence based practice is a pillar in nursing to ensure the most up-to-date information can be used to appropriately care for patients and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted why continuing education is a crucial practice for nurses. As nursing care must be rooted in reliable, research-based practices, a culture of learning supports nurses in being adaptable and lessens the learning curve during unpredictable times. By fostering curiosity, healthcare systems can help nurses in pursuing long-term skill advancement while opening space to gain a deep understanding of their area of practice and for professional development. 

In this framework, Specialty RN Fellow Programs provide the education to advance nursing skills in practice areas including perioperative, perinatal, emergency, critical care, and acute care. Promoting a robust nursing workforce with a strong pipeline for long-term skill development. 

With a continuously evolving environment such as healthcare, support and preparation can equip nurses with the tools to be confident and competent caregivers. During various phases of a nurse’s career resilience and versatility are crucial skills needed to thrive. By fostering self-awareness and refining clinical skills, Resident Apprenticeship Programs are helping healthcare systems build a strong and adaptable nursing workforce. Through online learning modules, effective preceptor/ mentor preparation, and long-term skill development RNs are prepared to navigate the dynamic healthcare setting. 

Reference List

Walker, A. (2024, November 20). 50% of New Nurses Quit Within 2 Years – Why They're Leaving. Nurse.org. https://nurse.org/news/half-of-new-nurses-quit-within-2-years/ 

To Cite This Article

Carden, I. (2025, August 20). How Nursing Resident Apprenticeship Programs are Evolving Post-COVID. TruMont. https://www.trumont.org/news-updates/how-nursing-resident-apprenticeship-programs-are-evolving-post-covid