The Nurse Residency Program (NRP) at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital provides recently graduated nurses the opportunity to become a Pediatric Oncology Nurse (PON) at St. Jude.
Nurse Residency Program Overview
The St. Jude Nurse Residency Program is an accredited with distinction transition to practice program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Practice Transition Accredited Program (PTAP). Receiving the ANCC PTAP Accreditation With Distinction designation is the highest recognition a transition to practice program can be awarded by the ANCC.
This means:
- our program meets standards set on the quality of our residency program content,
- the program is led by knowledgeable and experienced faculty,
- the program’s roots are in evidence-based practice, and
- patient care and outcomes have improved.
We hire nurse residents twice a year who enter a cohort based on their hire date. Our unique model allows new grads to join the NRP before they are licensed. To ensure licensure success, we provide extensive NCLEX support, including study materials, test preparation, and a designated week with independent study time, simulation and gaming.
The NRP lasts 10 months and offers nurse residents a supportive, clinical skills-based curriculum to kickstart their professional development. During the first several weeks of the program, nurse residents rotate through each of our patient care areas: inpatient, outpatient, surgical services and ICU. This exposes the nurse residents to the continuum of care at St. Jude, builds relationships across the organization, and allows residents to see all the potential nursing opportunities. The program culminates with Match Day, when residents are matched to a unit in the hospital where they will begin nursing orientation with their new team.
After graduation from the NRP, nurse residents are paired with a nursing mentor to promote the personal and professional growth of St. Jude nurses through the provision of supportive and nurturing mentee-mentor relationships.
Eligibility
- Graduation from an accredited school of nursing with a minimum of a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing (BS or BSN) required;
- Have less than 1 year of nursing experience before starting our program; and,
- Must pass the NCLEX within 120 days of hire and must obtain a Tennessee license, or the state of primary residency if the state is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. To find out about participating compact states, visit www.ncsbn.org.
Nurse Residency Program Match Day
After the clinical rotation, nurse residents are matched to one of the following units at the Nurse Resident Match Day ceremony:
- Bone Marrow Transplant
- Infusion Center and Acute Care Clinic
- Intensive Care Unit
- Intermediate Care Unit
- Leukemia/Lymphoma/Hematology
- Outpatient Clinics
- Solid Tumor/Neuro-oncology
- Surgical Services
An evidence based matching algorithm is utilized to create the matchings using rankings from both the nurse residents and the clinical units.
Following Match Day, each nurse resident begins their individualized clinical orientation on their matched unit, working alongside a preceptor to learn skills necessary to care for St. Jude patients. Additionally, the nurse resident will attend monthly NRP sessions which involve didactic lessons, simulation, and a variety of activities to assist with the transition from novice to competent nurse. As part of the NRP, nurse residents participate in various events to help them enculturate into St. Jude and the Memphis community.
At the culmination of the program, the nurse residents graduate and will be transitioned into our mentor program where they obtain support from a senior nurse to help guide them through their second year of professional practice.
Nurse Residency Program Expectations
New grad nurses should be able to:
- Commit to full-time employment for a minimum of the one-year of the NRP per the Residency Agreement
- Adhere to St. Jude and NRP policies per the Residency Agreement
- Uphold the St. Jude Values
Nurse Residency Program Deadlines/Timeline
| May 2025 Graduates | Dates |
|---|---|
| Application Window | January 1 – February 15, 2025 |
| Roundtable virtual interview sessions | Late February 2025 |
| Candidate Notifications | By Mid March 2025 |
| Graduation | May 2025 |
| Start Date | End of June 2025 |
| Match Day | August 2025 |
| *To maintain the integrity of our program, all residents must be on campus for the entirety of their residency rotations, June-August. | |
| December 2025 Graduates | Dates |
|---|---|
| Application Window | August 1 – September 15, 2025 |
| Roundtable virtual interview sessions | Late September 2025 |
| Candidate Notifications | By Mid October 2025 |
| Graduation | December 2025 |
| Start Date | End of January 2026 |
| Match Day | March 2026 |
| *To maintain the integrity of our program, all residents must be on campus for the entirety of their residency rotations, January-March. | |
| May 2026 Graduates | Dates |
|---|---|
| Application Window | January 1 – February 15, 2026 |
| Roundtable virtual interview sessions | Late February 2026 |
| Candidate Notifications | By Mid March 2026 |
| Graduation | May 2026 |
| Start Date | Late June 2026 |
| Match Day | August 2026 |
| *To maintain the integrity of our program, all residents must be on campus for the entirety of their residency rotations, June-August. | |
| December 2026 Graduates | Dates |
|---|---|
| Application Window | August 1 – September 15, 2026 |
| Roundtable virtual interview sessions | Late September 2026 |
| Candidate Notifications | By Mid October 2026 |
| Graduation | December 2026 |
| Start Date | End of January 2027 |
| Match Day | March 2027 |
| *To maintain the integrity of our program, all residents must be on campus for the entirety of their residency rotations, January-March. | |
Students are encouraged to start the application process according to the graduation cycle timeframe (pay attention to the deadline dates). For those not graduating in December or May, apply to the program that starts closest after your graduation date. For example, students that graduate in August would apply in the December graduation cycle.
For international students and nurses, each application is evaluated individually. For further inquiries related to international matters, please contact the recruiter specified in the application when applying.
Documents to gather prior to applying:
- Unofficial copy of college transcripts
- Reference Letter
- Personal statement or cover letter
*Remember to attach the documents listed above before you hit send because you cannot access your application again once you submit it.
Tips for Applying
Are you unsure about your reference letter? Stumped by the personal statement? Review these tips for your supporting documents.
- Upload all documents in the Resume/CV section before you submit the application. Upload the following documents before you submit your application because you will not be able to upload documents after submission. Documents include resume, a copy of your transcripts (unofficial is acceptable), reference letter, and personal statement/cover letter (300 word limit). We will not consider your application if documents are not uploaded.
- An unofficial copy of college transcripts: Candidates are recommended to have a GPA of 3.2 or higher, but 3.5 is strongly preferred. Each applicant is unique, and a GPA is one aspect of a passionate, multi-dimensional, talented nurse. If your GPA is lower, show us what makes you an excellent candidate.
- Reference letter: Quality trumps credentials when it comes to references. Seek out leaders from your professional or educational journey who know you, your work, and your passions personally and will take the time to draft a recommendation that highlights why you are the best candidate for a position. . Reference letters can be addressed in attention to the St. Jude Nursing Residency Program.
- Personal statement or cover letter: Your cover letter or personal statement is an opportunity to supplement your resume. Use it to show us how your personal mission aligns with ours! It can be addressed with attention to the St. Jude Nursing Residency Program.
- Pay attention to deadlines. Review the deadlines associated with your graduation cycle timeframe. Collecting the information and paperwork needed for your application will take some time. Allow yourself enough time. Once the application has closed, we are unable to accept applications or supporting documents.
Questions?
If you have a question about the Nurse Residency Program at St. Jude after reading the information above, complete this form and we will get back to you.
Great Nurse Residency Race
Follow new St. Jude nurse residents as they navigate the Great Nurse Residency Race, which is held after nurse residents match to units throughout the hospital. Nurse residents trek through campus and face metaphorical roadblocks, detours and speed bumps developed to test their critical thinking, medical assessment, communication and collaboration skills.
Podcast Episodes
Morgan Melancon (director of Nursing Education and Professional Development) has appeared on these podcast episodes discussing the Nurse Residency Program at St. Jude. Listen below or search wherever you listen to podcasts.
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