We offer a unique opportunity to RN graduates with less than a year of experience: the Graduates Engaged, Mastering & Succeeding (GEMS) program.
Stamford Hospital GEMS Nurse Residency Program is accredited as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs.
The current sites included in this accreditation are:
1. Medical/surgical (general surgery, orthopedics, medicine, & oncology)
2. Float pool
3. Cardiology/telemetry unit
4. Women’s and Children’s units (labor & delivery, NICU, Maternity & Pediatrics)
5. Behavioral Health Unit
6. Inpatient Rehab unit
GEMS is a 12-month program specifically designed to provide comprehensive orientation to new graduate nurses to transition them into clinical nursing by providing the critical elements they need to be engaged as well as master and succeed in their new profession.
Here's how it works:
- It is a cohort-based program so you’re placed with other GEMS nurses that serve as a strong support system.
- The program comprises of two weeks of classroom-based orientation and a minimum of twelve weeks of preceptor-based orientation.
- You’ll be assigned to a trained preceptor, who will help guide your orientation through skill acquisition at the point of care and provide you with regular feedback.
- During preceptor-based orientation, you’ll join weekly debriefing sessions facilitated by the Program Director and/or designee. These sessions provide the residents with a safe space to meet together as a group, reflect on their practice, support each other through challenges and celebrate successes. This forum also provides an opportunity for discussions related to topics that are relevant, meaningful and historically challenging for newly licensed nurses such as delegation and time management, amongst others.
- The weekly debriefings transition to monthly debriefings from month four to month six and thereafter quarterly through the end of the first year. These sessions offer support and promote professional development.
- The end of the first year is marked by a graduation ceremony that is presided over by the CNO.
Please note: Every hired GEMS nurse is a full-time paid Stamford Health employee from the date of hire. The hiring nursing units vary with each GEMS class, projected RN openings, and departmental staffing needs.
Nursing. Excellence.
Stamford Hospital is among roughly 7 percent of hospitals nationwide to have been granted the prestigious Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. This reflects our dedication to superior patient care, safety, quality and patient satisfaction. We're proud of this honor. We're proud of our nurses. Thank you for playing an integral role in the Stamford Health healing experience.
GEMS Program Requirements
The GEMS program is an extremely competitive program. To qualify for participation in the GEMS program, you must:
- Be a new graduate RN with less than one year of experience
- Meet the minimum education requirement of an Associate’s Degree from an accredited program. BSN highly preferred.
- Have a current, unencumbered license as an RN in the state of Connecticut prior to the program start date
- Have completed a Transfer Request Form signed by a current manager if you are employed by Stamford Health
- Please note that employees must be in good standing without any disciplinary actions within the past twelve months prior to the program start date.
Please note, you may apply and interview for the GEMS program without having a CT RN license as long as a CT RN license is achieved prior to the program start date. If you are unable to obtain your CT RN license prior to this timeframe, you will be eligible for the next round of GEMS.