Clinical Nurse II - Operating Room

Howard University Hospital; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

HRSA Loan Forgiveness available

Work-life balance

Recognition and rewards for expertise

Comprehensive benefits (health, etc.)

Job summary

Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC is seeking an experienced Registered Nurse for the Operating Rooms to support patient-centered care in a teaching hospital environment. The role involves collaboration with the care team and participation in performance improvement initiatives.

The ideal candidate holds a DC RN license, BLS and ACLS, with 12 months of OR acute care experience; CNOR is a plus. Shifts run 6:30 am–5 pm with on-call and weekend rotations in a dynamic, supportive setting.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree in Nursing required.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the District of Columbia.
• Maintains active American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Maintains active American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.
• CNOR preferred.
• At least 12 months of RN acute care experience in hospital-based nursing, OR scrub experience required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with patient/family and health care team to determine health goals and interventions.
• Maintains awareness of unit statistics and participates in improvements.
• Provides nursing care per unit policies, procedures, ethics and legal requirements.
• Serves as charge nurse after orientation and with manager approval.
• Participates in unit performance improvement programs.
• Establishes rapport to identify patient care requirements and plans.
• Provides emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients and families.
• Promotes patient independence through education on condition, medications, and self-care.
• Adheres to infection control and medication procedures and maintains supply inventory.
• Demonstrates competency in clinical skills and teamwork.

Skills

Nursing clinical skills

Patient care

Communication

Team collaboration

Infection control

Education

Associate's Degree in Nursing

RN license in DC

BLS certification

ACLS certification

CNOR preferred

Job description

With over 150 years of caring for our community and each other in the Washington DC area, Howard University Hospital has a world-renowned reputation for high-quality, patient-centric care. Howard University Hospital is the nation’s only teaching hospital located on the campus of a Historically Black University and has created a superior learning environment, with groundbreaking research and positive patient outcomes.

Howard University Hospital seeks to hire a Registered Nurse for our Operating Rooms who will embrace our rich and historic tradition of excellence. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life every day, consider a position with a team of professionals who are doing just that, making a difference. Being a teaching hospital, we are education-driven and willing to train!

Required Shifts

• 6:30 am - 5 pm
• Required rotational on-call and weekends

The Operating Room Registered Nurse

• Collaborates with patient/family and health care team to determine health goals and interventions and to revise plans of care as needed
• Maintains awareness of the unit’s periodic statistics regarding core measures, nursing quality indicators, and customer satisfaction measures, and actively participates in activities/behaviors that progressively improve the statistics
• Provides nursing care consistent with the nursing practice standards, policies, and procedures established by the unit, department, division, and institution, professional ethics and standards, and legal requirements
• Serves in the rotational role of charge nurse upon completion of the 6 month orientation period, and with approval by the nurse manager
• Participates in unit performance improvement programs through ongoing design, assessment and measurement, and performance improvement activities
• Identifies patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients and other persons in a position to understand care requirements
• Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families
• Promotes patient's independence by establishing patient care goals; teaching patient, friends, and family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills; answering questions
• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; following hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by the Nurse Practice Act of the District of Columbia, and other governing agency regulations
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations
• Maintains nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies; using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results
• Demonstrates competency in clinical skills, bedside manner, infection control, physiological knowledge, administering medication, medical teamwork, multi-tasking, listening, verbal communication, health promotion and maintenance

Qualified Candidates Will Possess

• Associate's Degree in Nursing required.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the District of Columbia.
• Maintains active American Heart Association Basic Life Support BLS certification
• Maintains active American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS certification
• CNOR preferred
• At least 12 months of RN acute care experience in hospital-based nursing, OR scrub experience required

At Howard University Hospital our job is to care for you. We do this by offering:

• Work-life balance
• Recognition and rewards for professional expertise
• Competitive, comprehensive benefit plans offered (including health, disability, vacation and sick leave, and 403B retirement plan)
• HRSA Loan Forgiveness available

Salary and Compensation

• This position is covered under the DC Nurses Association (DCNA) collective bargaining agreement. Base pay range: $37.33–$62.43/hr, commensurate with experience and qualifications per the DCNA wage scale. Effective July 1, 2026, the base range will increase to $37.89–$63.36/hr per the updated collective bargaining agreement.
• A unit premium applies to all hours worked in this unit.
• Additional compensation may include a night shift differential for qualifying evening/night shifts and a weekend differential for qualifying weekend shifts.

COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS

CULTURE OF CARE

Howard University Hospital supports a Just Culture that promotes accountability, learning, and patient safety.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Howard University Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other status protected by applicable law.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

Howard University Hospital is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws. If you require an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Department at [e-mail].

PAY TRANSPARENCY

Salary ranges listed in job postings reflect the expected compensation range for the position and are provided in accordance with applicable pay transparency laws. Final compensation is determined based on experience, education, internal equity, and other relevant factors.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position.