RN Clinical Nurse I - New to Preop/PACU Training Program

UNC Health•Chapel Hill, NC

10d•Onsite

About The Position

UNC Medical Center is hiring a Clinical Nurse I for its New to Preop/PACU Training Program, with an anticipated start in February 2027. The opportunity is intended for new graduate nurses who graduated within the past 12 months, have less than six months of experience, or expect to graduate in December 2026. Applicants must have a North Carolina RN license permitting practice in the state before their first day of employment. The 12-week New to Preop/PACU (NPP) curriculum is partnered with the yearlong New Graduate Residency Program (NRP), which supports new graduates’ transition from academia to practice. NPP training includes ASPAN’s Mosby Modules, classroom instruction, simulation lab practice, and hands-on clinical preceptorship. Participants must complete modules, homework, and evaluations and pass a final exam, in addition to meeting NRP requirements. Nurses attend classes and simulations at the main campus or other UNC sites and complete clinical work in their hired unit. Orientation schedules may be adjusted to meet departmental needs. The position provides competent clinical nursing care consistent with professional standards. Reporting and accountable to the Nurse Manager/Director, the Clinical Nurse coordinates and delivers patient care using the nursing process in a hospital setting. The role is based in UNCH PACU and PreOp Care, with the opportunity to work in a fast-paced surgical environment offering multiple service lines and advanced procedures. UNC Hospitals holds Magnet designation, and a clinical ladder is available for advancement.

Requirements

Graduation from a school of professional nursing.
Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina before the first day of employment.
Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider certification.
The posting states a professional experience requirement of one year of nursing experience.
The opportunity is intended for nurses who graduated from nursing school within the past 12 months, have less than six months of experience, or anticipate graduating in December 2026.
If hired after January 6, 2014, must enroll within four years of employment and obtain a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Nursing or a Master’s degree with a major in Nursing within seven years of the employment date.

Responsibilities

Identify and meet personal learning needs, attend relevant education programs, and use appropriate patient education materials with assistance.
Assess patient and family readiness to learn, developmental level, and factors that may affect learning.
Identify expected patient outcomes, seek guidance when revising plans of care, and participate in interdisciplinary evaluation of care.
Communicate relevant information to promote continuity of care.
Provide competent care for patients with complex problems, including physical, psychosocial, educational, and safety needs appropriate to the patient population.
Perform bedside point-of-care testing as required by the patient care plan.
Use organizational and nursing standards, policies, and procedures when delivering care; organize and prioritize care according to patient and family needs.
Consult appropriate resources in a timely manner for complex care issues, unusual teaching needs, or patients at high risk for discharge-planning needs.
Develop professional growth goals with assistance and achieve them within the identified timeframe or renegotiate them with a supervisor.
Participate in intra- and interdepartmental collaboration, unit goals, performance improvement activities, and cost-effective care.
Use communication systems effectively, provide feedback to coworkers, and remain aware of public policy and regulatory guidelines affecting healthcare.
Promote a safe, clean, and secure hospital environment.
Recognize data from complex situations, determine care priorities, synthesize assessment findings, and communicate them to others.
Assess and anticipate discharge needs and develop relationships with families that support their ability to advocate for the patient and themselves.
Collaborate with patients and families to prepare or update plans of care, use multidisciplinary resources, and communicate planning effectively.
Identify and address cultural and ethnic issues in care planning and prioritize tasks for patients with complex problems.
Read relevant journals and bring practice-related ideas and questions to staff for consideration.
Complete the NPP curriculum requirements, including modules, homework, evaluations, and the final exam, alongside NRP requirements.
Participate in classroom instruction, simulation practice, and clinical preceptorship at the assigned unit and applicable UNC sites.