New Grad RN Transition to Practice Program - Spring 2026 Cohort
San Diego, CaliforniaNew Graduate RN Transition to Practice Program: Spring 2026 Cohort
Application Period: October 6, 2025 – October 10, 2025
Cohort Start Date: March 2, 2026
The Rady Children’s Hospital New Graduate RN Transition to Practice Program is a 1-year comprehensive education and training program designed to support the transition of newly graduated nurses into professional clinical practice. This program offers a structured and supportive learning environment, empowering participants to develop their clinical skills and gain valuable hands-on experience under the mentorship of experienced nursing staff. Our program provides numerous opportunities for you to grow as a nurse through case-based learning, simulation, mentoring and debriefing groups, and preceptor-guided clinical experience. Click here for a video overview of the Program.
As the only dedicated pediatric hospital in San Diego, and ranked as one of the top 10 best children’s hospital in the nation, we invite you to apply and start your pediatric nursing career at Rady Children’s Hospital!
Rady Children's Hospital offers 2 New Graduate RN Cohorts annually: Spring & Summer. We are currently accepting applications for the Spring 2026 Cohort in the following specialty tracks:
- Cardiothoracic ICU (CTICU) – Click here for unit overview.
- Neonatal ICU (NICU) – Click here for unit overview.
- Pediatric ICU (PICU) – Click here for unit overview.
- Inpatient Hematology/Oncology Unit – Click here for unit overview.
- Medical Unit – Click here for unit overview.
- Medical Behavioral Unit
- Surgical Unit – Click here for unit overview.
- Child & Adolescent Psych Services (CAPS)
- Emergency Care Center – Click here for unit overview.
Units participating in New Graduate Nurse Residency are subject to change per cohort, based on departmental and organizational needs. Applicants may also be considered for the Summer 2026 New Grad RN Cohort (July 2026).
APPLICANT DIRECTIONS:
1. RESUME (Please upload file to the "Resume Attachment" section of the application):
Please specify your nursing program culminating clinical experience, i.e., practicum, preceptorship, capstone, student extern, transitions course. Including the specialty area/unit, site location, and total number of hours completed.
Please list all clinical rotations completed throughout your nursing program. Include specialty area/unit, site location, and total number of hours completed for each rotation.
Please ensure you’ve listed all work, volunteer, honors, community, academic, and leadership experience that you want showcased.
Please clearly list your GPA with your nursing education. Those who do not include their GPA on their resume will not be considered.
2. COVER LETTER
Please share with us why you are interested in pediatric nursing at Rady Children’s Hospital.
Be sure to indicate your top 2 specialty tracks of interest, electing from the participating units. If you are interested in all units, great! However, please still list your top 2 areas of interest in your cover letter followed by stating you are interested in any participating unit.
While consideration will be given to your specialty track(s) of interest, please know that your application could be considered for any unit.
3. LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Please include 1 letter of recommendation from a clinical instructor, preceptor, or supervisor who can speak to your abilities as a new graduate nurse and potential for success working with the pediatric and/or neonate population.
*Please note: The application, cover letter specifying specialty track, letter of recommendation, and resume must be submitted for consideration. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
For further questions on our application process, please visit our Residency Page here. We encourage all interested candidate to review this page prior to submitting an application for any given cohort.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Associate Degree in Nursing from a school accredited by NLNAC or CCNE, with enrollment in a BSN Program
Current California RN License by cohort start date
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification, issued by American Heart Association
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Nursing
Previous pediatric externship or clinical experience with pediatrics or neonates
The current salary for this position is $59.73/hour, plus shift differentials for evenings, nights, and weekends.
A candidate’s placement in the range will be determined based on the terms and conditions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Rady Children’s Hospital is committed to being externally competitive and internally equitable. We demonstrate this commitment by reviewing market data to remain competitive within the nonprofit, healthcare sector.
