Falls Church, Va. — Three years ago, the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) implemented two new programs to better prepare novice nurses — nurses with less than twelve months nursing experience —for their careers both in Air Force medicine and as officers. 

“For years, nurses would graduate, pass their boards, get their license, and go to a facility caring for patients,” explained Air Force Col. Keith Donaldson, the Director of Nursing Services. “The Air Force decided there needs to be a transitional program from the academic environment to the clinical setting, caring for people.” 

The solution was the current Nurse Transition and Residency program. The transition part of the program consists of a 45-day course, where novice nurses gain experience and competence in direct patient care under the supervision of a teaching nurse. The Residency program entails a one-year residency at a facility where the graduating nurse spends their initial assignment, providing them with continued clinical experience and mentorship. 

The Transition Program accepts newly commissioned novice nurses based on experience. “Age is not a factor,” explained Donaldson, “We could have a nurse of any age as long as they meet requirements for commissioning and are new to nursing.” 

The nurses begin their training at one of four different Nurse Transition locations in the continental United States: Scottsdale Healthcare, Arizona; University of Cincinnati, Ohio; Tampa General, Florida; and San Antonio Military Medical Center, Texas. 

Once their transition training is completed, they attend their one-year residency at one of eight Nurse Residency Program locations: Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Keesler AFB, Mississippi; Travis AFB, California, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; and Nellis AFB, Neveda. Two other locations, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, are used sparingly, often to fulfill joint spouse requests. 

Once nurses graduate from the Residency Program as fully qualified Air Force nurses, they remain at their location for the duration of their initial assignment. 

Donaldson sees the two programs as a positive for new nurses. “Without a doubt, the opportunity to transition into the military and as a professional nurse is a huge benefit,” he said. “The Air Force is making an investment in each novice nurse and we want them to succeed. We want them to have a successful career, both professionally and as an Air Force officer.” 

The two programs got their start in 2010 when the Institutes of Medicine issued a report recommending that nurses should have the benefit of residency training. A year later the then-Chief of the Nurse Corps, Air Force Maj. Gen. Kimberly Siniscalchi, issued a memo requesting a residency program. By the summer of 2012, the first 16 nurses graduated from the Air Force Nurse Residency Program. 

“That’s amazing to me,” said Donaldson. “Only 24 months after the Institutes of Medicine’s report came out, the Air Force got on it. They laid out the programs, built a curriculum, got the staff, put the people together, and told them where to be.” 

Now at the three-year mark, Donaldson and other leaders are reviewing the programs to see what’s working and where to make improvements. “Are we meeting the AFMS’s requirements on developing our young nurses?” asked Donaldson. “But equally important, are we meeting the personal requirements for each and every new nurse who has joined the Air Force?” 

One change the AFMS is considering is opening up the operating room (OR) nurse track to novice nurses, instead of waiting until they reached their residencies. “We need more OR nurses and we need more junior OR nurses,” explained Donaldson. He plans to position novice nurses directly into OR nursing, which will expedite the training for those interested in that career track. “OR nurses do not get a lot of experience in school,” he said. “We have to figure out the best way to do that based on our need.” 

The two programs are an important part in the AFMS’s continued drive to provide Trusted Care, Anywhere. “From the most novice nurse, caring for patients in our facility, to the most experienced nurses, care needs to be seamless and reliable to the patients and their families,” explained Donaldson. “It needs to be quality care that they are receiving.” 

Donaldson is proud of the two programs which train nurses who want to serve their country. “Every graduate nurse of the program is well equipped to meet the challenges of caring for our most valuable asset,” he concluded, “which is our patients and their families. This is what we’re all about.” 

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