Job Description

Application deadline is December 21st at 11:59pm.

Calling all Senior Nursing Students, Nurse Graduates and new RN's, it is time to apply for our Critical Care Pathway Nurse Residency Track starting Summer 2026!

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 critical care pathway nurse resident will first complete 5-6 weeks of intensive preceptor-led training on a stepdown unit, with mentorship from the critical care nurse residency coordinator, to improve and demonstrate clinical excellence in time management, prioritization, and critical thinking. Following stepdown training, residents will then complete up to 18 weeks of clinical training in their ICU of hire. Candidates new to the organization or internal and seeking employment in a different unit will complete a secondary interview with the ICU management teams to determine unit of hire during their last week of stepdown training. Shadow experiences within the hiring critical care units at our Newark, Wilmington, and/or Cecil campuses will be provided for these candidates prior to date of interview.

Participating units may include:

• Surgical ICU (Shock/Trauma),
• Neuro ICU
• Medical ICU
• Cardiovascular ICU
• Wilmington campus ICU (Medical/Surgical combination)

The critical care pathway nurse resident completes up to 26 total weeks of preceptor-led training followed by continued residency seminars up through their first year of practice to further develop as professional nurses and integral members of our caregiver team.

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 the 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 June 2026 (BSN Preferred)
• BLS required
• Less than 12 months of nursing experience by the start of the program
• Eligible for Delaware license as a Graduate Nurse/Registered Nurse
• Working, clinical, or shadow experience in Critical Care is preferred

How to apply:

• In the section "My Experience," on the application, be sure to upload your cover letter and transcripts in the section "Resume/CV/Other Documents." PDF format works best.
• Submit a cover letter for the Critical Care Pathway Nurse Residency Track expressing your interest in this specific program/specialty.
• Please address your cover letter to Tara Miles.
• 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 Skill Survey (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 HireVue and SkillSurvey (respectively).
• Applications to be sent for review by residency coordinators on January 5th.
• The required tasks (SkillSurvey and HireVue) must be completed BEFORE January 5th in order to be considered. 
• Digital real-time interviews will begin February 2026
• Offers to be made towards the end of February 2026
• Nurse Residency Positions start mid-July 2026

If you have any issues with your application or any inquiries, please contact

It is important to note that the DE licensure 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.

Hourly Pay Range: $38.22 - $61.16

This pay rate/range represents ChristianaCare’s good faith and reasonable estimate of compensation at the time of posting. The actual salary within this range offered to a successful candidate will depend on individual factors including without limitation skills, relevant experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

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.

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Local area, Immediate start,

Similar Jobs