Registered Nurse I (New Graduate Nurse) - Surgical Care Unit March 2027 start

Children's National Hospital

23h • $39 - $40 • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse I role is part of Children’s National’s 12-month Pediatric Nurse Residency Program, also known as the Transition to Practice Program (TPP). The program supports nurse residents as they transition into professional nursing practice, with guidance from clinical nursing staff, nurse educators, and program facilitators. It includes Human Resources orientation, unit-based orientation, and acute and critical care tracks. The acute care curriculum supports professional development for residents from inpatient acute care, radiology, psychiatry, and peri-operative services.

The position is in the Surgical Care Unit, a 31-bed surgical and trauma unit with cardio-respiratory monitoring capability at each bed. The unit provides family-centered nursing care for patients from infancy through adolescence with surgical conditions, including orthopedic conditions. Patient groups include burns, trauma, pediatric general surgery, ENT, reconstructive surgery, urology, ophthalmology, orthopedic trauma, spina bifida, spinal fusion, and bariatric surgery.

Nursing practice follows the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, Children’s National policies and procedures, and applicable laws and regulations. Registered nurses are responsible and accountable for their own practice. The role includes developing professional nursing skills, working collaboratively with the healthcare team, and supporting the health and well-being of the broader community.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in nursing (ASN) required.
• Zero years of work experience required.
• Successfully complete hospital and nursing orientation at Children’s National.
• Identify resources and know when to ask for assistance.
• Demonstrate leadership and management skills.
• Identify personal learning needs and seek resources to address them.
• Registered Nurse license in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, depending on practice location.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification required.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Magnet re-designation by completing the annual professional profile on time and participating in relevant councils, committees, task forces, or community outreach.
• Demonstrate critical thinking through successful completion of a change project.
• Recognize when patient-care issues need escalation and use the chain of command.
• Use the identified process to ensure accurate patient handoffs.
• Work cohesively with ancillary staff to meet patient-care needs.
• Cooperate with change implementation and support management decisions.
• Complete mandatory education and regulatory requirements and participate in professional activities that enhance nursing practice.
• Participate in performance appraisal and peer review.
• Support department goals related to formal education, national certification, national safety standards, and service excellence.
• Collaborate with all members of the healthcare team.
• Gather physical and psychosocial information about patients and families and complete accurate, timely assessments.
• Demonstrate clinical skills needed to care for assigned patients.
• Develop assessment, organizational, and prioritization skills to care for patients whose clinical needs change during a shift.
• Document care in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Assess and plan proactively for educational needs throughout the hospital or clinic stay and before discharge.
• Organize care to complete assigned work on time.
• Provide caring interactions with patients and families.
• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance.
• Validate and verify information used for decision-making or documentation.
• Pause and resolve uncertainty before proceeding.
• Communicate clearly, accurately, and promptly, both verbally and in writing.
• Promote safety for patients, families, visitors, and coworkers.
• Use Stop, Think, Act, and Review to self-check behavior and performance.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
• Paid time off, including vacation accrual from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
• 401(k) plan.
• Healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
• Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
• Tuition assistance.
• Fitness resources.
• Employee assistance.
• Commuter benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree