Emergency Department Nurse Residency Program

OSF SaintAnthony Medical Center realized the importance of having a team of experts on the emergency department staff. To be considered for the team, a nurse must be prepared, both mentally and physically, to competently care for emergency patients. Preparation is crucial to the success of patient recovery and the career of an emergency department nurse at Saint Anthony Medical Center.

Objectives of residency


  • To enhance a strong theoretical and clinical base for the development of competent emergency department nurses resulting in quality patient care
  • To place an emphasis on correlation of material presented with patient situations in the clinical setting
  • To bridge the critical transition between theoretical knowledge and actual clinical experience
  • To give the OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center nurse the tools, such as communication, priority setting, stress management and crisis intervention skills to support his or her practice and deepen job satisfaction
  • To provide holistic knowledge to enhance all aspects of patient care including medical, psychosocial, cultural, spiritual, legal and ethical

Program specifications - To qualify, candidates must:


  • Be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing
  • Possess current CPR health care provider card
  • Be highly motivated to learn how to manage the critically ill population
  • Enjoy working in a fast-paced, highly challenging environment while using sophisticated technical equipment, and highly developed nursing assessment skills
  • Possess critical thinking skills that allow the nurses to continually prioritize and adapt to their surroundings

Preferred qualifications are:


  • Previous healthcare provider experience (CNA, LPN, EMT-P)
  • ACLS, PALS certifications or similar pre-hospital certifications

Program Terms

To meet program terms, candidates must:


  • Receive an offer of employment for the residency program upon successful completion of an interview with the professional nurse recruiter, the nurse resident coordinator and the manager of the emergency department
  • Successfully complete the Emergency Department Nurse Residency program to be considered for an emergency department position, with placement based on available positions
  • Make a commitment to work 1,900 hours and a minimum of 12 months following successful completion of the residency program
  • Accept return of 24 weeks of curriculum and clinical experience at full salary

General Course Construction

The 24-week residency features a curriculum that is presented in a variety of methods - didactic, on-line and hands-on. It integrates a variety of clinical experiences.

The program incorporates clinical site, documentation, protocol, treatment-specific and equipment orientation at the beginning of each experience. Skills are reviewed and validated during the residency program.

Exposure to ancillary department functions and patient procedures will be used to facilitate clinical application and understanding. The program utilizes experienced preceptors for clinical experiences, who are dedicated to the clinical support of the emergency department residents. A nurse resident coordinator and the ED PM nursing supervisor are also utilized.

Continuous feedback and reflection with residents runs throughout the program.