Student Nurse Extern I - Surgical Trauma Critical Care Unit

UNC Health; Chapel Hill (NC); On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC Health is seeking a Student Nurse Extern I for the May 24 – July 31, 2027 program in Chapel Hill, NC. Prelicensure nursing students will work with an RN partner in the patient care team within the Surgical Trauma Critical Care Unit, gaining hands-on experience under supervision.

You'll perform routine direct and indirect care under RN guidance, participate in safety reporting, and support patients and families through admission, orientation, and discharge.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; enrollment in an accredited prelicensure nursing program with anticipated graduation within 12 months from start of externship.
• Listed as Nursing Assistant I with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required or in place.

Responsibilities

• Observes, collects, and documents patient information and reports significant changes to a RN or provider.
• Assists patients and their families during admission, orientation to the hospital/clinic/home health experience, and discharge.
• Provides direct and indirect patient care per plan of care including vitals, basic care tasks and simple procedures.
• Supports learning and reinforces teaching to patients under RN supervision.
• Assists with routine examinations and procedures, and procures equipment during emergencies.
• In psychiatric settings, assists with behavior modification, de-escalation, and therapeutic milieu activities.

Skills

Fluent English

Organizational skills

Basic computer skills

CPR

Lifting 40-50 lbs

Patient care

Education

High school diploma or GED

Enrollment in accredited prelicensure nursing program

Nursing Assistant I (NC DHHS)

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

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.

The Surgical Trauma Critical Care Unit, in the new state-of-the-art North Carolina Surgical Hospital, is a fast-paced, Level 1 Trauma certified, Beacon Gold Award for Excellence designated, 40-bed unit specializing in the care of critically injured trauma and surgical patients. This unit serves a variety of surgical patients in addition to trauma to include, but not limited to, transplant, plastics, oncology, obstetrics, gynecology, gastrointestinal, and orthopedics.

Summary:

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

Thegoal of the Student Nurse Externship experience is to provideprelicensure nursing students with an immersive experience to enhance theirfoundational nursing education and role socialization within a clinicalsetting.The Student Nurse Extern I (SNE I) position is intended for nursingstudents enrolled in an accredited School of Nursing tofunction as a member ofthe patient care team.The SNE I will work with their RN partner as a partnerin 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 taughtin their nursing program to provide technically skilled care in their assigneddepartment. This position provides the chance to workwith RNs in a variety of healthcare settings, earning valuable experience thatwill enhance nursing knowledge and prepare the incumbent for a profession as aregistered nurse. The SNE I reports to the assigned department’s Patient Services Manager ordesignated Education Leader and works under the direct supervision of anassigned RN partner. The RN partner facilitates and supports learningexperiences to enable the SNE to proficiently perform nursing care activitiesin both complex and non-complex situations.Provides routine directand 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: Surgical Trauma Critical Care Unit

Work Type: Temporary Full Time

Standard Hours Per Week: 36.00

Salary:$18.00 per hour

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.