St. Joseph Health Nurse Residency Program Earns Top Accreditation

BRYAN, TX [January 28, 2026] – St. Joseph Health, a member of CommonSpirit Health, is proud to announce that the nurse residency programs at St. Joseph Health Bryan Hospital, St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital and St. Joseph Health Grimes Hospital have been awarded Accreditation with Distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs. This is the highest recognition a nurse residency program can achieve, signifying exceptional quality and commitment to new graduate nurse development.

The CommonSpirit Health Nurse Residency Program ensures that new registered nurses embarking on their careers receive comprehensive training and support across diverse practice settings. These include Medical, Surgical, Medical-Surgical, Oncology, Step Down, Critical Care, Rehabilitation and the Emergency Department.

"We are incredibly proud to receive Accreditation with Distinction for our Nurse Residency Program," said Beverly Welch, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Market VP of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer for St. Joseph Health. "This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, including the incredible nurses and leaders at our St. Joseph Health facilities here in the Brazos Valley. It validates our commitment to fostering a supportive and enriching environment where new nurses can thrive and deliver the highest quality of care to our community."

In total, the nurse residency programs at 11 CommonSpirit Health hospitals across Texas received this accreditation. This includes the St. Joseph Health facilities in Bryan, College Station, and Navasota, as well as Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, St. Luke's Health - The Woodlands Hospital, St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital, St. Luke's Health - Sugar Land Hospital, St. Luke's Health - Brazosport Hospital, St. Luke's Health - Memorial Lufkin Hospital and St. Luke's Health - Memorial Livingston Hospital.

This prestigious four-year accreditation, effective from December 15, 2025, to January 31, 2030, highlights CommonSpirit Health's unwavering commitment to providing an exceptional transition-to-practice experience for new graduate nurses. Additionally, this recognition underscores the program's dedication to supporting and developing the next generation of nursing professionals within the Brazos Valley and throughout the South Region/Texas markets and showcases CommonSpirit Health's dedication to cultivating highly skilled and compassionate nurses. Newly graduated nurses beginning their careers at St. Joseph Health and other CommonSpirit Health hospitals can be confident they are entering a nationally recognized program that is deeply committed to their professional growth and, ultimately, to enhancing the health and well-being of the communities they serve.

About St. Joseph Health: St. Joseph Health, a member of CommonSpirit Health, has been a leader in providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare in the Brazos Valley since 1936. Its extensive network includes five hospitals (St. Joseph Health Bryan Hospital, College Station Hospital, Madison Hospital, Grimes Hospital and Burleson Hospital), a rehabilitation hospital, and numerous primary care and specialty clinics. A pioneer in the region, St. Joseph Health established the first air and medical service in a nine-county region, deploying two advanced helicopters for emergency scene response and patient transfers between facilities. Recognized for its excellence, St. Joseph Health is the first in the area to be accredited as both a Chest Pain Center and a Primary Stroke Center. The organization's strong academic and clinical partnership with the Texas A&M Health Science Center further enhances its capabilities. For more information, visit commonspirit.org/stjoseph-health.

[For more information, please contact Communications Manager, Tracy Bates at 713-962-9347 or tracy.bates@commonspirit.org.]