Congratulations to CGH Medical Center (Sterling, IL) for graduating their first cohort of RN residents on November 16, 2021. The 10 new graduates completed the year-long program and presented their residency projects at the November 2021 celebration.

“In their final 6 months, residents designed a project of their choice. This type of project-building provides residents an opportunity to use evidence-based practice or best-practices to create and/or change a process, policy, or standard in their department,” said Site-Coordinator Nancy Lauritzen, RN. “This experience is a huge step in professional development, as clinical issues are viewed and approached as opportunities, rather than problems or barriers to quality care.” 

The November 2021 graduates presented their projects to CGH Nurse Managers, Assistant Nurse Managers, RN Educators and Kristie Geil, CNO. “I commend the nurse residents for their resiliency and commitment through one of the most difficult times in nursing practice,” said Kristie Geil, CNO. 

The residency projects included: Standardized Bedside Report, Care of the Covid Patient and Burnout, Virtual Reality for Pain Management in Labor Patients, Pediatric Emergencies and Pediatric IV Pump, Effective ED Patient Communication, and Care of the TR (trans-radial) Cardiac Catheterization. 

“We are proud of all their amazing work and critical thinking on these projects,” said Lauritzen. “Their presentations were awesome!” 

Congratulations CGH Medical Center! Interested employers should contact nicole-weathers@uiowa.edu for more information or schedule a time to visit 1:1, to learn more. 

Nicole Weathers, MSN, RN, NPD-BC 
Program Manager