Nurse Resident - BSN

Nurse Residency Program
NOW ACCEPTING MED-SURG & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH APPLICATIONS FOR THE OCTOBER 2026 COHORT
Available departments
Program Overview
The Kootenai Nurse Residency Program is an incredibly supportive program that transitions newly graduated nurses to the hospital setting. The program accepts only the most outstanding and committed applicants. The Nurse Residency is a full-time (36-40 hours/pay period), paid program that prepares new professional nurses with exemplary skills, knowledge, and experience in inpatient areas.
This is a year-long program that provides an innovative, person-centered support structure for the acquisition of evidence-based practice, standardization of knowledge, and skills to ensure our nurses are confidently prepared, supported, and engaged in their work. Nurse Residents learn through a combination of educational seminars, peer support discussions, simulation, and authentic patient experiences with the support of experienced preceptors/mentors. Kootenai Health is committed to providing Nurse Residents with the teaching, training, mentoring, and expertise needed for a successful career in nursing.
Hiring Process
Things to know
As a Nurse Resident, you will receive
Eligibility to participate in the Nurse Residency Program includes
Learn more about our teams
Kootenai Health complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sex. Kootenai Health does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sex.
- 1 North - Medical Nephrology
- 2 East - Ortho/Neuro Unit
- 2 South - General Surgery Unit
- 3 East - Onc/Neuro/Gen Med
- 3 North - Medical Unit
- Nursing Resource Team
- Behavioral Health - Youth Acute
- Adult Behavioral Health (KBH-E)/ Addiction Recovery Unit
- The application will ask you to rank your top 3 unit preferences. For more information on the available units, please refer to the unit descriptions below.
- Cover letter required: A cover letter is required as part of the application process. We encourage candidates to use the cover letter to highlight their interest, motivation, and alignment with unit preference.
- This application is only for the units specifically listed on this posting.
- Units will aim to offer residency positions in each cohort; however, availability can vary per cohort and some units are unavailable.
- Night shift availability is required for most Nurse Resident positions.
- Socialization and networking support
- Didactic, targeted teaching, and learning experiences
- Monthly workshops with social networking and didactic experiences
- 24-hour access to a robust, interdisciplinary on-site library
- Three to six months of direct bedside preceptor and leadership support
- Training in national certification courses that are integral to your specialty practice, such as BLS, ACLS, TNCC, NRP, PALS, and many more
- Specialty-specific education courses as applicable
- A professional nursing culture and education environment consistent with the ANCC Magnet designation — the national standard for nursing excellence in the United States.
- Graduate of a nationally accredited nursing program. BSN preferred
- Less than 12 months of experience as an RN
- Less than 6 months of hospital experience required at the time of hire
- RN with less than 3 years’ patient-facing nursing experience at time of hire are required to be enrolled in a baccalaureate (or higher) degree program in nursing within 1 year of employment, with completion within 3 years of hire
- RN with at least 3 years’ patient-facing nursing experience at time of hire, ADN or diploma required; BSN or higher preferred
- State of Idaho Registered Nurse OR licensure pending as documented by temporary licensure OR current RN licensure from a state participating in the “multistate privilege to practice” compact with Idaho prior to start date.
- A nursing work gap greater than 12 months from your most recent experience will require successful completion of a Learning Needs Assessment conducted by a KH Nursing Education Specialist
- ACLS to be provided and completed, if applicable
- BLS Required. Current AHA Healthcare provider, American Red Cross, AHA Health Saver or KH BLS during General Orientation
- Nephrology / Circle of Life (1N) the Nephrology population consists of patients with kidney disease (acute and chronic), a history of kidney transplants, significant electrolyte imbalances, fluid shifts and heart/liver failure. Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are common treatments for our Nephrology patient population- both are done on the unit. Circle of Life patients are those who are near or at the end of life and are also cared for within our designated area of the unit. These important work facilitates giving patients the opportunity to be free of pain with family present, and to find comfort in their final moments. Caring for patients at the end of life is an opportunity for rich professional development and personal fulfilment for the nurses who have the privilege to do so.
- Orthopedic/Neurosurgical (2E) Patient population consisting of our specialties in orthopedics, neuro surgeries, and traumas, as well as general medical/surgical patients. The unit does have remote telemetry monitoring if it is required. Our orthopedic patients are often treated for injuries of the bones and occasional elective join surgeries. Neurosurgery is the specialty focused on surgical treatment of disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and cerebrovascular system. Often, we work with patients recovering from Craniotomies, Laminectomies and many other types of surgeries performed by our experienced care team which is currently expanding. Our Trauma team treats everything from minor injuries including lacerations to fractures, to major complicated trauma involving multiple body systems. We have a heavy focus on getting our patients mobilized and back on their feet. 2 East has a culture of collaboration and teamwork
- General Surgical (2S) is a 30 bed medical/surgical unit that specializes in post-operative recovery of patients after the Recovery Room such as general surgical, genitourinary, general cardiothoracic, general vascular, and trauma patients. Additionally, 2 South cares for patients who may be care for throughout the surgical care continuum such as pre-operative complications, post-operative complications as well as a variety of medical patients. Due to the wide variety of patients cared for on 2 South, one could also expect to see multiple drains such as chest tubes, JP drains, ostomies, and foley catheters just to name a few.
- Oncology/Neurology/Medical (3E) is a 37-bed acute care unit, Level 3 Epilepsy Center accredited by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers, and a Level 2 Stroke Center designated by The Idaho Time Sensitive Emergency Council. The unit is comprised of 9 bariatric life rooms, 5 positive pressure rooms, 3 negative pressure rooms, and 2 rooms equipped for epilepsy monitoring. Serving an adult population which includes active/acute seizure and/or seizure disorder, acute/history of stroke or stroke like symptoms, oncology/chemotherapy, Circle of Life, medical/neuro, and medical/surgical overflow. 3 East competencies include Stroke Care/National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Epilepsy Monitoring (EMU), and Oncology/Chemotherapy administration. The unit culture is based on the Kootenai Health Way incorporating safety, compassion, engagement and the compassion care bundle. The goal of 3 East is to create a positive compassionate experience for the patients, guests, and staff.
- Cardiac Medical (3N) is a cardiology focused medical surgical unit. The population is primarily made up of patients with the following diagnosis: CHF, bradycardic and tachycardic arrhythmias, chest pain, NSTEMI, and pulmonary embolism. Many of these patients require continuous telemetry monitoring which is monitored by a central monitoring studio. Interventions typically seen for this patient population include echocardiograms, stress tests, cardiac catheterizations, pacemaker placement, heparin drips and antiarrhythmic medications. The cardiac medical unit does not care for patients requiring continuous antiarrhythmic drips or vasopressors. Further education consists of a basic cardiac rhythm interpretation class. 3N continues to take medical and surgical overflow patients as needed within scope.
- Nurse Resource Team (NRT) is a float pool department where new graduates or nurse residents work in a variety of hospital wide service lines/care areas. The entry level float cluster includes the 5 medical-surgical departments, behavioral health youth and adult units, and the Addiction Recovery unit. There are advanced float cluster tiers to advance into. Following completion of additional competencies and training some NRT support higher acute care areas including the Progressive Care unit, Emergency Department, and Critical Care. This department requires nurses to be efficient with time management and flexible in working with a variety of teams throughout the various service lines it supports. Nurses in the NRT participate in caring for a wide variety of patient populations and acuity’s and must maintain competency and a high level of understanding in all specialties they work in.
- Behavioral Health Youth Acute (KBH-West) Patient population is made up of youth ages 6-17yrs old who are experiencing a psychiatric crisis where they have become a danger to themselves, others, or gravely disabled. Mental Status assessment, crisis de-escalation, support coping skills education, and medication management are a few of the ways we partner with our patients to create a safe and healing environment to allow for them to make strides in their treatment and recovery plan as they move back out into the community.
- Adult Behavioral Health (KBH-E) Patients are adults with a range of psychiatric issues, including but not limited to short-term reactions, trauma, and chronic mental illness. You will work with a multidisciplinary team including CNAs, therapists, Mental Health Specialists, and Recreational Therapists. As an RN you will work closely with Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists to ensure each patient receives the best medication for their condition and that their plan of care meets their needs for stabilization and growth. You will learn how to effectively use empathy and active listening skills as well as de-escalation techniques. The knowledge you gain from working in Behavioral Health will be a valuable tool for future work with any patient in any setting. Nurse Resident hired onto this unit could also support patients in Behavioral Health- Addiction Recovery.