Student Nurse Extern I - Geriatric, Crisis Stabilization, and Perinatal Psychiatry Unit

UNC Health; North Carolina; On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC Health in Chapel Hill, NC is seeking a Student Nurse Extern I to join the 4 Neurosciences team. The role supports nurses in a 36-hour workweek with day/night rotations and a May–July externship window. Nursing students will work with an RN partner within the Nursing Assistant I scope of practice.

Requirements include enrollment in an accredited nursing program, High school diploma or GED, and BLS/CPR. This is a temporary full-time position designed to provide hands-on clinical experience.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an accredited prelicensure nursing program with anticipated graduation within 12 months.
• High school diploma or GED is required; CPR certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Observes, collects, and documents patient information; promptly report changes to RN.
• Support patients and families during admission, orientation, and discharge processes.
• Provide routine direct and indirect patient care under supervision of a registered nurse.
• Assist in examinations and procedures; procure equipment and supplies during emergencies.
• Aide in psychiatric settings with de-escalation and therapeutic milieu activities.

Skills

Fluent English

Organizational skills

Basic computer skills

Lift 40–50 lbs

Stand/walk hours

CPR certification

Education

High school diploma or GED

Prelicensure nursing program enrollment

Job description

Description

Your passion belongs at UNC Health. Join more than 56,000 teammates working together to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve across North Carolina.

Your passion belongs at UNC Health. Join more than 56,000 teammates working together to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve across North Carolina.
The Geriatric, Crisis Stabilization, and Perinatal Psychiatry Unit (4 Neurosciences) is seeking a Student Nurse Extern I to join their team.
4 Neurosciences is comprised of three adult units which serve specific mental health populations. Geropsychiatry is a 10-bed unit serving geriatric patients admitted for the management of multiple medical and mental health issues. Crisis Stabilization is a 15-bed unit with nursing care provided to patients hospitalized for stabilization during acute mental health episodes. Perinatal Psychiatry is a 5-bed unit solely focused on treatment of women with psychiatric disorders during pregnancy or post‑partum.

Position Details

• Shift: Day/Night Rotating shift including rotating weekends
• Hours: 24 or 36 hours a week

Orientation Schedule: Monday and Tuesday - In person from 8am to 4pm; Wednesday - 8am to 10am Virtual and in person from 1pm to 5 pm; and Thursday and Friday – Virtual.

Summary

Student Nurse Extern Program Date (May 24 – July 31, 2027)

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.

Note: The externship is not an extension of school clinicals so skills performed as a student under the supervision of a clinical instructor are not permitted i.e. IV/PO medication administration, assessment, documentation, NGT/foley insertion.

The Student Nurse Extern I demonstrates the ability to learn and apply the concepts they have been taught in their nursing program to provide technically skilled care in their assigned department. 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 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

Other information:

Education Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required; higher‑level degree may satisfy this requirement. 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: STATE
• Entity: UNC Medical Center
• Organization Unit: 4 Neurosciences
• Work Type: Temporary Full Time
• Standard Hours Per Week: 36.00
• Salary Range: $18.00 per hour
• Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
• Work Assignment Type: Onsite
• Work Schedule: Variable
• Location of Job: US:NC:Chapel Hill
• Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: No

This is a State position employed by UNC Health Care System with UNC Health benefits. If, however, you are presently an employee of another North Carolina agency and currently participate in TSERS or the ORP, you will be eligible to continue participating in those plans at UNC Health.

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

UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email [e-mail] if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.