Student Nurse Extern - Cardiovascular Surgical Intermediate Care

UNC Health; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC Health is offering a 10-week Student Nurse Externship Program for rising senior ADN and BSN students. The externship provides hands-on clinical experience in a Cardiovascular Surgical Stepdown Unit (6HV) with a supportive multidisciplinary team, structured rounds, and mentorship.

This temporary full-time role helps bridge education to professional nursing. Position details include 40 hours per week, onsite at NC Health Rex facility in Raleigh, NC, with a May 18–July 25 schedule.

Qualifications

• Fluent in verbal and written English language.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to organize and prioritize assignments in the delivery of patient care.
• Lift and carry 40-50 lbs; frequent standing/walking.
• CPR training may be required.

Responsibilities

• Observe, collect, and document patient information and report changes.
• Assist patients and families during admission, orientation, and discharge.
• Perform routine nursing care activities (vital signs, wound care, hygiene, ambulation support).
• Provide direct personal care for activities of daily living.
• Support area operations: maintain clean work area, restock supplies, assist with equipment and transports.
• Reinforce patient education provided by RN or provider.

Skills

Fluent English

Basic computer skills

Organizational skills

Adaptability

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Enrollment in accredited prelicensure nursing program

Job description

Description

Student Nurse Externship Program

Launch Your Nursing Career with Hands-On Experience!

Ready to take your nursing education to the next level? Our 10-week, paid summer Student Nurse Externship Program offers rising senior ADN and BSN nursing students an exciting opportunity to gain valuable hands-on clinical experience, strengthen nursing skills, and explore the dynamic world of hospital-based care. This immersive experience allows you to build confidence, sharpen your clinical judgment, and develop the skills needed to transition from nursing student to professional nurse.

Invest in your future, expand your experience, and take the next step toward becoming the nurse you aspire to be!

6HV - Cardiovascular Surgical Stepdown Unit

Advance Your Skills. Make a Difference. Grow Your Career!

The Cardiovascular Surgical Stepdown Unit (6HV) is a fast-paced, 32-bed unit providing specialized care to patients with complex cardiovascular conditions. Our patient population includes cardiac and vascular surgery, structural heart, and complex cardiac medical patients, including those requiring titration of inotropes and vasopressors.

Equipped with GE bedside monitors and modern technology, 6HV promotes safe, efficient, evidence-based care aligned with Magnet designation standards.

Our collaborative team includes Cardiac Surgery APPs, dedicated clinical pharmacists, daily multidisciplinary rounds, and consistent case management support to ensure seamless patient care from surgery through discharge.

Become part of an inclusive organization with over 40,000 teammates, whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the unique communities we serve.

Summary

The goal of the Student Nurse Externship experience is to provide prelicensure nursing students with an immersive experience to enhance their foundational nursing education and role socialization within a clinical setting. The Student Nurse Extern I (SNE I) position is intended for nursing students enrolled in an accredited School of Nursing to function as a member of the patient care team. The SNE I will work with their RN partner as a partner in practice within their Nursing Assistant I scope of practice.

The Student Nurse Extern Idemonstrates the ability to learn and apply the concepts they have been taughtintheir nursing program to provide technically skilled care in their assigneddepartment. This position provides the chance to work with RNs in a variety of healthcare settings, earning valuable experience that will enhance nursing knowledge and prepare the incumbent for a profession as a registered nurse.

The SNE I reports to the assigned department's Patient Services Manager or designated Education Leader and works under the direct supervision of an assigned RN partner. The RN partner facilitates and supports learning experiences to enable the SNE to proficiently perform nursing care activities in both complex and non-complex situations. Provides routine direct and indirect patient care in a hospital, clinic, or home health care setting. All work performed is under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or provider.

Responsibilities

• Observes, collects, and documents patient information obtained while providing care and promptly report significant changes in the patient's condition to a registered nurse or provider. Participates in the collaborative identification and reporting of patient safety issues.
• Provides assistance to patients and their families during admission to the clinical area, orientation to the hospital/clinic/home health experience, and discharge.
• Provides care/treatments to patients as outlined in plan of care including, but not limited to, the measurement of vital signs, height and weight, specimen collection, skin preps/scrubs, catheter care, capillary blood glucose checks, simple wound care, range of motion exercises, postural drainage, and supportive 1:1 patient and family interactions.
• Provides direct personal care to patients as outlined in plan of care for routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding and assisting with ambulation.
• Provides indirect care to patients and assigned area to include, but not limited to, cleaning the work area, changing linens, re-stocking supplies, cleaning/sterilizing instruments, transporting patients / supplies / specimens, assisting in the orientation of new employees and students, and some routine clerical functions.
• Reinforces routine teaching given to patients by the registered nurse or provider and document patient understanding of instructions.
• Assist providers and other health care providers with routine examinations and procedures, as well as procurement of equipment and supplies during emergency situations.
• In the psychiatric setting, aids patients in reality orientation, participates in behavior modification plans/therapy, provides informal support therapy to patients/families, provides verbal de-escalation of potentially aggressive patients, aids in the physical management of aggressive/out-of-control patients, facilitates age appropriate play for children, and monitors the therapeutic milieu activities on assigned unit to ensure that emotional and safety needs of patients are met.

Other information

Education Requirements

• High School Diploma/GED
• Current enrollment in an accredited prelicensure nursing program with anticipated graduation within 12 months time from the start of student nurse externship.

Licensure/Certification Requirements

• Listed as Nursing Assistant I with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Professional Experience Requirements

• None required.

Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements

• Fluent in verbal and written English language.
• Ability to organize and prioritize assignments in the delivery of patient care. Attainment and maintenance of unit-specific competencies.
• Basic computer skills.
• Lift and carry 40-50 lbs. Examples: Push/pull patients on a bed, stretcher (requires 29 lbs. push force), lateral transfers up to 50 lbs. of the patient's weight.
• Frequent to continuous standing/walking.
• Patient care providers may be required to perform activities specific to their role including kneeling, bending, squatting, and performing CPR.

Job Details

Legal Employer: NCHEALTH

Entity: UNC REX Healthcare

Organization Unit: Heart and Vascular Nursing Overhead

Work Type: Temporary Full Time

Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00

Salary:$17.43

Work Assignment Type: Onsite

Work Schedule: Full Time Variable (Dates: May 18-July 25)

Location of Job: US:NC:Raleigh

Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: No

This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully-owned subsidiary of UNC Heath Care System. This is not a State employed position.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities.