Registered Nurse I (New Graduate Nurse) - Heart and Kidney Unit (March 2027 Start)

Children's National Hospital

20h • $39 - $60 • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse I will provide professional nursing care on the 20-bed Heart and Kidney Unit, which delivers family-centered care to children with cardiac and renal diseases. Patients range from neonates through adults and may receive care for heart surgery, diagnostic or interventional cardiac catheterizations, dialysis, acute or chronic renal failure, nephrotic or nephritic disorders, and organ transplantation. All beds have cardiac and respiratory monitoring. The unit primarily admits patients from the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Ambulatory Clinic, PACU, and EMTC, and also admits 23-hour patients with cardiac and renal disease.

Nursing practice is guided by the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, hospital policies and procedures, and applicable laws and regulations. Registered nurses are responsible and accountable for their own practice and contribute to relationships supporting the health and well-being of the community.

This position is part of the 12-month Transition to Practice Program for newly licensed graduate nurses. The program combines didactic and simulated learning with hands-on clinical training, under guidance from clinical nursing staff, nurse educators, and program facilitators. It supports the transition from novice to competent nurse and fosters community, support, resilience, and professional development. The program is offered twice a year to newly licensed graduates of accredited nursing programs who have a passion for children. Graduates with less than one year of clinical experience may participate after obtaining licensure.

Requirements

• Associate's degree in nursing (ASN) required.
• Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) preferred.
• No prior work experience required.
• Registered Nurse license in the District of Columbia required.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification required.
• Successful completion of hospital and nursing orientation at Children's National.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
• Ability to identify resources and know when to ask for assistance.
• Ability to identify self-learning needs and seek resources to address them.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN).

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Magnet redesignation through timely completion of a professional profile and participation 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 through the chain of command.
• Use the identified process to ensure accurate handoffs.
• Work cohesively with ancillary staff and collaborate with members of the healthcare team 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, and support department goals for education, certification, safety standards, and service excellence.
• Collect physical and psychosocial information about patients and families and complete accurate, timely assessments.
• Use the clinical skills necessary to care for assigned patients and develop assessment, organization, and prioritization skills as patient needs change.
• Complete documentation in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Assess and plan proactively for patient and family education throughout the stay and before discharge.
• Organize care to complete assignments on time and demonstrate caring in encounters with patients and families.
• Speak up about unsafe behavior or performance, validate information used for decisions and documentation, and pause to resolve uncertainty.
• Communicate clearly, accurately, and promptly, and actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors, and coworkers.
• Use Stop, Think, Act, and Review to self-check behavior and performance.
• Identify resources, seek assistance when needed, and identify learning needs and resources to address them.

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