“Traditionally, NRPs in the U.S. are delivered in-person with didactic curriculum, however, in 2014, the Iowa Action Coalition established the Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program (IONRP) intended to produce a more affordable, accessible and adaptable NRP for all clinical settings. This forward-thinking move by Iowa Action Coalition leaders responded to constrained resources encountered in small rural healthcare settings across the state and learning preferences of contemporary learners. Wilson and colleagues conducted a formative evaluation of both online and blended NRP options finding similar outcomes at both six and 12 months for the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey for both formats.

“This study provides evidence-based insights into new graduate nurses’ experiences who completed a U.S.-based NRP with implications that extend to onboarding of new-to-practice nurses in health systems, hospitals and ambulatory and home care settings. Findings emphasize the importance of a structured NRP with curriculum, mentorship and preceptor support that enhance new nurses’ confidence, satisfaction and retention regardless of whether the NRP is delivered onsite or virtually. Differences in peer engagement and leadership support also underscore areas for improvement within residency programs to foster a more comprehensive support network. Policy and education leaders can
enhance the effectiveness and scalability of hybrid NRPs by fostering interinstitutional collaboration and adopting standardized evaluation metrics across the delivery system. For global nursing leaders, these results suggest that hybrid training models may be most effective, balancing virtual accessibility with the interpersonal benefits of in-person interactions. The study informs ongoing efforts to adapt NRPs in a way that strengthens nursing readiness and resilience worldwide. These findings suggest that virtual nurse residency models may be a feasible and scalable solution for supporting new nurses in rural areas and countries across the world where access to in-person programs is limited. Future work should continue to evaluate hybrid and virtual NRPs across diverse healthcare systems to ensure equitable, high-quality transition experiences for all newly licensed nurses. Ultimately, these insights can guide policy and programmatic changes that foster a more prepared, confident and satisfied nursing workforce internationally.”

Mastro, K. A., Giordano, N. A., Polomano, R., Smith, B. A., Book, K., Ballinghoff, J., & Mattioni, C. (2026). A comparison of transition experiences and practice readiness of newly licensed nurses with in-person and virtual residency training: A national observational study. Nurse Education in Practice, 91, N.PAG.