Plattsburgh, NY – When Courtney Coon, RN became a nurse, she expected the first year to be overwhelming. Thanks to the Nurse Residency program at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, she found something different.

“I definitely felt supported,” Coon says. “I wasn’t just thrown into the fire. People really took the time to guide me and show me how to do things the right way.”

Coon, who completed the residency in 2024, remembers something else just as important – the other new nurses around her.

“We were all learning together. There were no stupid questions. It made you feel like you were part of a community – not just the new person.”

That experience, feeling supported, guided and connected, is exactly what the program is designed to provide. And it’s a big reason why the program has now received Accreditation with Distinction, the highest level of recognition awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). According to the ANCC, programs receiving this distinction are recognized for creating a culture of support, delivering evidence-based education and helping new nurses build confidence from their very first day.

A Program Built Around People

Abby Bennett, MSN, MBA, RN, who leads the Nurse Residency, says the program is about helping new nurses succeed during one of the hardest transitions in their careers – moving from the classroom to the bedside. It combines structured learning days, hands-on clinical experience, one-on-one mentorship and peer support in a clearly defined, year-long framework. Nurses also work closely with interdisciplinary teams, helping them learn how to collaborate and communicate in real patient care settings.

Each year, about 25 to 35 newly graduated nurses start at the hospital. Since the program was first accredited in 2018, 208 of those nurses are still working at the hospital today.

“That kind of staying power matters,” Bennett points out. “It means more experienced nurses at the bedside, stronger teams and better care for patients.”

Confidence That Translates to Patient Care

Bennett adds that nurses who feel supported are more confident. And she says that means fewer gaps in care, stronger communication and a more confident nursing team at the bedside.

For Coon, that confidence came from the way the program was designed – from the time people took to teach to the environment that encouraged questions.

“I was able to really take my time learning,” Coon explains. “Things weren’t rushed. Veteran nurses really took the time to show me the right way to do things, and that made me feel confident in what I was doing.”

Many participants say the program helped them feel ready for the real world of nursing – not by pushing them through, but by supporting them every step of the way.

Growing to Meet the Needs of Patients

What started as a smaller program with two practice settings in 2013 has grown to meet the needs of both nurses and the community.

Today, the hospital’s Nurse Residency Program is accredited across seven practice settings:

• Medical-Surgical
• Progressive Care
• Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum (LDRP)
• Operating Room
• Psychiatric Care
• Emergency Department
• Long Term Care

This expansion means more nurses, across more specialties, receive structured support during their first year. Bennett says that has a direct impact on patient care, especially in complex areas like the emergency department and operating room.

Measuring Success

Carly Haag, DNP, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, says the recognition reflects both its history and its future.

“For 100 years, this hospital has cared for our community. That care starts with our people,” Haag adds. “When we invest in our nurses, especially in their first year, we’re investing in the quality and safety of patient care.”

She says the residency program is about building confidence that lasts.

“When nurses feel prepared and supported, they’re able to focus on what matters most: the patient in front of them,” Haag explains.

Nursing leaders at the hospital say true success is measured every day at the bedside with the care provided by nurses like Coon. And it all starts with the experiences shared by hundreds of nurses in the residency program.

“You don’t feel alone,” she says. “That makes all the difference.”

University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
75 Beekman Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

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About Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital

University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is a 300-bed level III trauma center trusted by 87,000 people across New York’s North Country. Our staff are committed to delivering care with skill, compassion and respect — supporting patients, families and the communities we call home. As part of a rural academic health system, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital combines high-quality, community-based care with medical innovation and research to bring advanced treatment as close to home as possible. Together, we’re addressing health care’s toughest challenges while working alongside partners and neighbors to improve access, affordability and outcomes for our region.

About University of Vermont Health Network

University of Vermont Health Network is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.