"...it was nice to have a sense of community and feeling like you're not alone in the many challenges you face starting your nursing career. It's an exciting time, for sure, but it can also be scary. It can be overwhelming. So, it was nice to have a place where I could feel heard and know that I'm not the only one, that I'm validated."
Annika McMillen - July 2024 Cohort
Hanna Blackmore, RN, BSN
"Hanna has demonstrated exceptional diligence in completing her online modules with the IONRP, consistently showing a commitment to her professional development.
In addition to her coursework, Hanna has taken on a significant change project focused on improving our workplace violence policy and procedures. This is a critical issue for many organizations, and Hanna's proactive approach and hard work in this area have been invaluable. Her efforts are timely and crucial in ensuring a safer work environment for all staff.
We are incredibly grateful for Hanna's ongoing contributions and believe she embodies the qualities of a dedicated and forward-thinking nurse. Her continued work on this project is making a meaningful impact, and we are proud to have her on our team."
— Ashley Mork, RN, Site Coordinator
Wendy Deuschle, RN
"As a new RN, Wendy has exemplified the concept of 'making the most of a nurse residency program.' For her practice project, she is working on education and training to address a gap identified on the Med/Surg unit, specifically the lack of a consistent policy and procedure for working with inpatients who arrive with Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs). Wendy began contacting and collaborating with key stakeholders, including the Med/Surg Director, Adult Primary Care Diabetes Specialist, and Director of Dietitians/Diabetes Education at Delta Health. She put together an initial draft of her PowerPoint presentation and then sought feedback from her team.
She is also working on creating a HealthStream assignment that will extend to all hospital staff who may benefit from additional education about our approach to caring for CGM patients, providing them with the best possible care. Furthermore, Wendy is doing an excellent job as a nurse on the Med/Surg unit and exhibits those all-important critical thinking skills."
— Shauna Meilner, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CNE, CCRN, Site Coordinator
Sabrina Alvarado, RN
"Sabrina has exemplified herself as a stand-out new graduate nurse over the past year. Not only has she been self-driven to actively participate in the residency program, but she is also actively involved within her department and continually striving to improve herself. Sabrina has identified areas of improvement within her workspace and always contributes to positive change for our organization."
— Jesse Moore, Clinical Nurse Educator
"I enjoyed being a part of this program and learning something new each month. I only hope to continue to grow and improve in all aspects of my nursing career."
— Sabrina Alvarado
Courtney Loper, RN
"From day one, Courtney approached the program with unwavering dedication and contagious enthusiasm, fully immersing herself in every opportunity to grow, learn, and lead. Throughout her residency, she exemplified what it means to lead with heart—advocating not just for her patients, but for her colleagues and the healthcare system as a whole. She brought a unique and invaluable perspective as a newer nurse stepping into leadership, allowing her to bridge the gap between frontline challenges and long-term solutions in a way that truly sets her apart.
One of her most remarkable contributions was her ability to recognize gaps in care and use her ingenuity to drive meaningful policy change. Her innovative thinking and commitment to quality improvement directly influenced positive outcomes for both patients and staff, reinforcing her role as a catalyst for progress.
She actively sought out professional development opportunities and leaned into leadership with confidence, grace, and a genuine desire to make a difference. Her journey through the residency program wasn't just a stepping stone—it was a launching pad, and she has soared."
— Molly Vander Ley, MSN, RN, CPN, CBIS, NPD-BC, Site Coordinator
"I want to acknowledge the IONRP and the leaders who guided me through my first year of nursing. This program provided a sense of community and essential resources for my nursing practice. I'm excited to continue engaging in the nursing field and always keep learning!"
— Courtney Loper
"As I worked through a new professional challenge, the change project guided me in being able to turn a difficult situation into a learning experience — identifying a problem I was passionate about and gave me the motivation to come up with a solution I could share with other nurses at the bedside; truly empowering."
Azra Spahic - Feb 2024 Cohort
How has the nurse residency program impacted you as a new nurse?
The IONRP's impact on me as a new nurse was beneficial for multiple reasons. I left nursing school proud of myself but aware I was a novice. The program provided a safe space to meet and relate to other new nurses. Having peers I could relate to while having our first-year experience validated helped me get through the lows — I could understand why I was feeling the emotions specific to new grads without feeling guilty or alone. Knowing my peers were going through similar experiences, I didn't feel like an outlier, and that helped free a lot of mental capacity to focus on my nursing process and the clinical learning and training needed to succeed in my first year at the bedside.
What was your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of the program was participating in a change project. Initially, I was apprehensive about having anything valuable to contribute to my organization. Those feelings quickly dissipated. As I worked through a new professional challenge, the change project guided me in being able to turn a difficult situation into a learning experience — identifying a problem I was passionate about and gave me the motivation to come up with a solution I could share with other nurses at the bedside; truly empowering.
Why would you recommend our program to other new nurses?
I absolutely recommend new nurses be part of some sort of residency program. IONRP is special — nursing and healthcare best practices change frequently and IONRP truly strives to always present evidence-based information. The high standards the program sets for itself challenged me to always look at my nursing process as ever-evolving. I feel like the program helped me internalize to always seek scientific answers and reasonings when caring for patients and taking or delegating orders. Excellence breeds excellence — and our patients deserve nothing less.
Adrianne Meyers, Gunnison Valley Hospital, October 2023 Cohort
"One of the concepts that really stood out to me and that I think I’m still using very often was communication. Especially our SBAR with providers and things. We discussed it in nursing school, but it’s very different when you’re in the role and not in the class. So, I think the skills and tips we learned were really helpful. And I still use that when I have to call doctors at 3 am and have everything ready."
Taylor Jaeckels, Ridgeview Medical Center, March 2023 Cohort
“The nurse residency program felt like a support group outside of work and school. Coming straight from nursing school, I didn’t expect that—but it gave me a space to have honest conversations about things we didn’t cover in class or on the job. It was a place where I could ask anything, even about mental health, and lean on others during that big life transition.”
Madison Wallace, ChildServe, October 2022 Cohort
“Thank you to my incredible support network at ChildServe. It’s an honor to grow my nursing career alongside such a dedicated team, caring for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Starting in Pediatric Long-Term Care after earning my RN last July, I’ve grown so much. The IONRP gave me the confidence to navigate my first year, embrace challenges, and launch my career—it’s been an amazing experience.”
Lexus Barnard, Upland Hills Health, March 2022 Cohort
"What started as a residency project quickly became a personal mission—to support patients and their loved ones through the grieving process. This work has grown beyond what I imagined, and I truly believe it has the potential to make a meaningful impact in many care settings.”
“I joined the IONRP in September 2021, and with the support of my colleagues, family, friends, and the program, I made it through one of the most challenging years of my life—transitioning from student to confident ER nurse. My goal was to find a place that supported growth and learning, and I found that at Upland Hills Health. The team I’ve worked with played a pivotal role in my success, and I’m truly grateful. In a constantly evolving healthcare environment, having an employer that values support programs like IONRP is essential."
—Jill Imhoff, Upland Hills Health, September 2021 Cohort