Nurses Graduate from Critical Care Residency
UNC Health Blue Ridge proudly announces the graduation of thirteen nurses from its Critical Care Nursing Residency Program, an intensive 12-week initiative designed to keep advanced care close to home and improve outcomes for the region’s sickest patients. This program equips nurses with the expertise to treat critically ill patients locally, reducing transfers to distant facilities and supporting families in our community.
The residency combined hands-on experience with advanced learning. Nurses completed 32 hours on ICU shifts at UNC Health Rex Hospital in Raleigh, participated in simulation training at Western Piedmont Community College, and completed specialized learning modules. Each graduate earned certification through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), underscoring UNC Health Blue Ridge’s commitment to exceptional care.
“Nursing is an incredible profession, and critical care is one of the greatest needs in our region,” said Gary Paxson, President and CEO of UNC Health Blue Ridge, during the Oct. 24 graduation ceremony. “Your commitment to this program shows a true dedication to learning and serving our community. Our goal is to keep more patients here at home, even those with the most complex conditions. That requires advanced skills—and thanks to this training, we can provide exceptional care for critically ill patients right here, close to the people and places they love.”
Nurses who completed the residency program are Leanna Bergman, Tasha Billingsley, Kelia Britt, Brianna Craig, Emily Crump, Kelsey Dotson, Krystan Estes, Alexander Fraley, Evelyn Gaspar, Madelynn Hammett, Destiny Jeffers, Megan Price, and Florena Triplett.
“The goal of the residency is to increase critical thinking skills and expose the nurses to new equipment,” said Pamela Baden, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, director of Nursing Professional Development and Clinical Practice at UNC Health Blue Ridge. “These classes provide a deeper dive into critical thinking to understand what is happening to their patients and preemptively prepare for orders from the treating physicians. Because nurses are the eyes and ears of the physician, this training leads to faster interventions and better outcomes.”
Baden emphasized the partnerships with WPCC and UNC Health Rex as keys to the program. “During this first group, the nurses were present in the simulation lab a total of seven times. For future cohorts, they will receive even more simulation and clinical time, ensuring continuous improvement,” Baden said. “In addition, each group will spend 32 hours of clinical time at UNC Health Rex to be exposed to treatment modalities we hope to bring to UNC Health Blue Ridge in the future.”
The next residency begins in late January with graduation scheduled for April 25, 2026. UNC Health Blue Ridge remains committed to training our critical care nurses and expanding critical care capabilities for the region, reinforcing its dedication to providing high-quality care for the community.
