Icu Nurse Residency Program Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Students graduating December 2026 or sooner- Join us on June 1, 2026 at our Newark Campus for a Nurse Residency Open House. Click here: Nurse Residency Open House- June 1, 2026  – Fill out form  – Fill out form to register and for more information.

Application will be open until 11:59pm August 16th

Calling all Senior Nurses, Nurse Graduates and new RN's, it is time to apply for our Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse Residency Program starting Spring 2027!

The ChristianaCare Nurse Residency Program is accredited with distinction as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs.

Research validates that new to practice nurses completing a structured and accredited residency program leads to:

• increase in competency
• reduction of error
• reduced self-reported stress
• increased job satisfaction

Therefore, we are committed to supporting all registered nurses with under one year of experience through a nurse residency specialty track.

This exciting curriculum integrates:

• Lecture and simulation education
• Peer support
• Preceptor-led clinical experiences structured to foster critical thinking, evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, effective communication, quality and safety, and professional development.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Residency Program is a challenging 26-week program that integrates educational components with preceptor-led clinical experiences in our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In 2020 the NICU moved to a state-of-the-art Women & Children’s building; highlights of the new building include private patient rooms with rooming in capabilities for parents and Couplet Care rooms that allow new mothers to remain close to their NICU babies. The role of the NICU nurse has expanded to include the care of postpartum mothers as part of ChristianaCare’ s cutting edge Couplet Care Program.  The 26-week preceptor led program is followed by continued residency meetings during months 8, 10, and 12 to further develop as professional nurses and integral members of our caregiver team.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse residency is geared toward the graduate nurse who has an interest in critical care for the neonate. The ideal candidate will possess inquisitive qualities and an ability to grasp critical thinking concepts. This program was designed to allow for a smooth transition from the role of GN to the RN role for those candidates who qualify.

Nurse residents are required to pass State Boards and be licensed as a RN in the State of Delaware prior to starting position. Nurse residents are required to pass State Boards and be licensed as a RN in the State of Delaware (or compact state) prior to starting position. Upon hire, a commitment agreement to work at the ChristianaCare will be signed. The agreement requires completion of two years within ChristianaCare and 15 months of those two years on the unit of hire. Individuals unable to fill this commitment will be charged $10,000.

Requirements:

• Graduating from accredited nursing school before March 2027 (BSN Preferred)
• BLS required
• Less than 12 months experience from the programs' start date
• Eligible for Delaware or Compact State licensure as a Registered Nurse

How to apply:

• Submit a cover letter for the Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse Residency expressing your interest in this specific program/specialty.
• Please address your cover letter to Madison Valerio.
• Resume
• Transcript (unofficial)
• Two clinical recommendations will be required, but not at the time of the application. If it is determined the minimum qualifications are met, a separate email will be sent from an outside vendor for you to provide us with your clinical instructors’ information.

What to Expect After Application and Timeline:

• Communication from Talent Acquisition Team about specific next steps including: video interview and clinical references completed through third party vendors Hey Milo and SkillSurvey (respectively).
• Applications to be sent for review by residency coordinators on August 25th. The required tasks (SkillSurvey and Hey Milo) must be completed BEFORE August 25th in order to be considered. 
• Digital real-time and/or In-Person interviews will begin end of September and run until mid-October.
• Nurse Residency Positions start mid-March 2027

If you have any issues with your application or any inquiries, please contact beanurse@christianacare.org 

It is important to note that the DE licensing process may take 6-8 weeks to complete and the failure to do so will directly impact employees' ability to start a position if an offer is made. We strongly encourage applicants to visit the DE Board of Nursing website and begin the fingerprinting and background check process immediately after you submit your application.

This is a flat rate position, any individual hired into this position will be paid $38.61/hr plus any applicable differentials.

Christiana Care Health System is an equal opportunity employer, firmly committed to prohibiting discrimination, whose staff is reflective of its community, and considers qualified applicants for open positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.