NYC Health + Hospitals’ Nurse Residency Program Launches Its 50th Cohort
The program has trained over 2,800 nurses since 2019 The 12-month program is a key pillar to develop the health care system’s nurse workforce
Jan 20, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced the 50th cohort of its Nurse Residency Program, which has enrolled more than 100 nurses, for a total of over 2,800 nurse residents enrolled in the program since it launched in 2019. The 12-month program provides newly hired nurses with specialized training, education, and mentoring and is a nationally recognized, evidence-based best practice for improving nurse satisfaction, performance, and retention. Prior to the program’s launch, the health care system’s staff nurse turnover rate was 46%. By 2025, the staff nurse turnover rate dropped to 12%, a clear indication of the program’s impact.
“As the nation’s largest municipal safety‑net health system, we stand at the front lines for New York’s most vulnerable populations, and our pioneering Nurse Residency Program allows new nurses to step immediately into a role where their skills, their voices and their compassion make a profound difference in patient care, helping all New Yorkers live healthier, fuller lives,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive Natalia Cineas, DNP, MSM-N, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, FADLN. “Through the Nurse Residency Program, we are investing in New York City’s next generation of dedicated nurses, the caring women and men who will be driving the development of the nursing profession in the future. Our commitment to nurse professional development strengthens our hospitals, elevates our teams, and directly enhances the quality of care we provide to our patients, their families, and the communities we proudly serve.”.
“This program has been successful because we manage to make a required training fun and rewarding,” said Albert Belaro, DNP, MA, RN, Senior Director of Nursing Professional Practice and Education at NYC Health + Hospitals. “Our staff are excited and energized by the engagement and opportunity for professional growth.”
“Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and the launch of the 50th cohort at NYC Health + Hospitals underscores the impact of a sustained and our shared commitment to creating pathways for nurses to succeed,” said Deepa Dhawan, Director, New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH), the healthcare Industry Partnership with the NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent). “This residency program ensures nurses are supported from the start – through education, mentorship, and real-world experience-preparing them to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care across our communities.”
“Reaching the 50th Nurse Residency Program cohort at NYC Health + Hospitals is more than a milestone, it reflects sustained commitment to nurses and to the systems that support them at the most critical point in their careers, the transition into practice,” said Jasmine Vega-Pegram, Executive Director, New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH), the healthcare industry partnership with the NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent). “Since the program launched in 2019, NYC Health + Hospitals has demonstrated that scale and quality can coexist in a public health system, growing the program to more than 2,800 nurse residents across NYC Health + Hospitals and strengthening retention, clinical confidence, and patient care. At NYACH and NYC Talent, we view the Citywide Nurse Residency Program as critical workforce infrastructure not just NYC Health + Hospitals but across all of the 31 participating hospitals and clinical sites. It is an evidence-based model for how we can work together to welcome new graduate nurses into the workforce. As we mark this achievement, we should remain focused on what comes next and commit to building the next 50 cohorts with the same level of intention and partnership.”
NYC Health + Hospitals offers a wide range of professional development opportunities to help nurses build their career. In addition to the Nurse Residency Program, nurses can join the Nursing Clinical Ladder Program to support their professional growth or join one of the system’s 181 shared governance councils to ensure that frontline care providers are active participants in the public health care system’s decision-making processes. Nurses can also apply for fellowships to develop their skills in the Emergency Department, Critical Care, Operating Room, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Nursing teams across NYC Health + Hospitals are consistently recognized with national awards, including the Pathway to Excellence designation, Beacon Award for Excellence, Lantern Award, and PRISM Award.
Nurses can learn more about joining NYC Health + Hospitals at www.nychealthandhospitals.org/nurses4nyc.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.