Vanderbilt Health

If you are a new graduate, the clearest door in is the VUMC Nurse Residency Program (ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program, accredited with distinction). Fall 2026 applications run in waves from May through August, with a start date of October 26, and tracks that include Adult Critical Care, Cardiac Stepdown, Oncology, and Perioperative. Day-to-day texture depends on unit. Adult Med-Surg on VUH’s 6 Round Wing lists a 1:5–6 ratio and cares for complex respiratory, GI, renal, neuro, psych, cardiac, and infectious patients; nights there run three 12-hour shifts, 7:00p–7:00am, including some weekends. Residency itself is full-time 36–40 hours a week in the first year, with structured orientation from experienced preceptors, trained mentors, and resident leaders. Shelbyville itself is a smaller, affordable town known for Tennessee Walking Horses and nearby distilleries, roughly half an hour from Murfreesboro and within an hour of Nashville. You will want to weigh the commute against the system’s Magnet designation, shared-governance culture, and the fact that in 2025 the organization cut up to 650 mostly non-clinical roles while still hiring front-line nurses and expanding beds.

Credo emphasizes excellence in care, research, and education; shared governance and an inclusive collaborative environment are named in residency materials.