Health systems report dramatic nurse retention gains through residency, development programs

Editor's Note

Two of the nation’s largest health systems are reporting major progress in nurse retention after investing in structured residency programs, mentorship, and professional development. According to a September 10 article from the Catholic Health Association of the United States, CommonSpirit Health has boosted new nurse retention to 86% following rollout of a systemwide residency initiative, compared with about 60% before the program began. Meanwhile, an August 21 NYC Health + Hospitals press release reported its turnover rate dropped to 7.3% in 2025, far below the national average of 16.4%, saving the system tens of millions of dollars.

CommonSpirit’s residency program, launched in 2023 and now active in 81 hospitals, is structured as a year-long curriculum combining precepted training, coaching, mentorship, and didactic coursework. Nearly 3,500 new nurses have participated, with more than 1,200 graduates to date. Leaders attribute success to standardization across 137 hospitals, strong engagement from legacy staff, and sustained support for cohorts as they transition from school to practice. Plans call for expanding the program into more departments, ambulatory care, and critical access hospitals by late 2026.

The CHA article notes new nurse turnover has been a persistent problem nationally, with studies showing up to one-third leaving the profession within 2 years, often due to stress, lack of support, or poor orientation. CommonSpirit leaders emphasized the residency provides new hires with mentorship, resilience-building, and early exposure to high-risk scenarios in simulated environments, helping them build confidence and community.

NYC Health + Hospitals has taken a broader workforce approach, combining its nurse residency program with layered professional development, recognition, and career advancement opportunities. The public health system, which employs more than 9,600 nurses, reported hiring over 3,400 permanent nurses in 2024 alone, reducing reliance on temporary staff and saving more than $150 million in recruitment costs. Its residency program, launched in 2019, has enrolled over 2,600 nurses and is credited with helping drop turnover from 46% in 2019 to 17.3% in 2021, and now to record lows in 2025.

Other initiatives include a Nursing Clinical Ladder Program developed with the state nurses association; fellowships in perioperative, emergency, critical care, and neonatal nursing; and a robust system of shared governance councils. Leadership recognition and honors from national organizations, such as ANCC’s Pathway to Excellence with Distinction and AORN safety designations, reflect the system’s culture of nursing excellence.

Together, these case studies point to the value of structured, evidence-based transition-to-practice programs and long-term investment in nurse engagement and professional growth as essential strategies for retaining nursing talent and sustaining patient care.