Graduate Nurse Transitional Pilot Program

Starting your nursing career is a big step. The Graduate Nurse Transition Pilot Program (GNTPP) helps newly graduated RNs and RPNs move into practice with confidence, with dedicated support from an experienced clinical guide through the program.

Participants in the program are called transitional graduate nurses (TGNs). As a TGN, you start as a supernumerary member of the team, meaning you’re not counted in baseline staffing while you learn. This gives you time to build competence, strengthen your clinical judgment and grow into independent practice.

How the program works

The program runs for up to 12 months in two phases.

Phase 1: Enhanced orientation (about 3 to 6 months)

• New graduates supported “at the elbow” by assigned Clinical Guide until ready to practice independently.
• Build role confidence, pattern recognition and clinical reasoning skills
• Receive regular check-ins, feedback and assessment of your practice readiness

Phase 2: Independent practice with ongoing support (remainder of the 12 months)

• You remain in your supernumerary TGN position during this phase until you secure and move into a regular position.
• Practice independently in your unit, program or office, with ongoing support.
• Take on your own work assignments, including coverage for sick calls and vacant shifts, while your TGN position remains outside baseline staffing.
• Apply for available regular positions of 0.5 FTE or greater, ideally within your current site, program or unit.
• Once you move into a regular position, continue working your original GNTPP FTE until the program ends, or the higher FTE if your new position is larger.
• If your new position has a lower FTE, additional shifts will be scheduled to maintain your original GNTPP FTE. Your regular position will count toward baseline staffing, while the additional GNTPP portion will remain outside baseline staffing.
• If you haven’t secured a regular role by the end of the program, you’ll transition to casual status.

All applications follow the standard competition process under our recruitment framework and collective agreement guidelines. No preferential consideration is applied.

Who is eligible?

To apply for a TGN opportunity, you must:

• Have graduated from an accredited nursing education program within 12 months before the program start date
• Be registered, or eligible for registration, with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) or the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta (CRPNA)
• Hold current Basic Cardiac Life Support Health Care Provider (BCLS-HCP) certification
• Not yet hold a regular position with any of the employers identified in the UNA Collective Agreement 

Intake periods

• Winter: November postings for January start date
• Spring: February postings for April start date
• Summer: June postings for August start date