Student Nurse Extern- 7 East Acute Care General Surgery/Bariatric Post Op unit

Join UNC REX Healthcare's 10-week paid Student Nurse Externship Program this summer and launch your nursing career with hands-on clinical experience. This immersive program is designed for rising senior ADN and BSN nursing students to gain valuable experience, strengthen nursing skills, and explore hospital-based care while building confidence and clinical judgment.

You will be assigned to 7 East, a 28-bed acute care general surgery and bariatric post-operative unit. This is a Bariatric Accredited Center for elective weight loss surgery, providing specialized post-operative care with excellent outcomes. The unit is fast-paced with frequent discharges and post-operative admissions daily. You will work alongside experienced RN partners, many of whom are CMSRN certified, and gain exposure to dozens of new clinical skills while developing critical thinking abilities. The nursing team uses the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Pathway to educate and progress patients post-surgery.

Responsibilities

• Observe, collect, and document patient information while providing care; promptly report significant changes in patient condition to an RN or provider
• Participate in collaborative identification and reporting of patient safety issues
• Assist patients and families during admission, orientation to the hospital, and discharge
• Provide direct patient care including vital signs, height and weight measurement, specimen collection, skin preps, catheter care, capillary blood glucose checks, wound care, range of motion exercises, and postural drainage
• Provide direct personal care for routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and assisting with ambulation
• Provide indirect care including cleaning work areas, changing linens, restocking supplies, cleaning and sterilizing instruments, transporting patients and supplies, and assisting with orientation of new employees and students
• Reinforce routine teaching given by RNs or providers and document patient understanding
• Assist providers with routine examinations and procedures and procurement of equipment and supplies during emergencies

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED
• Current enrollment in an accredited prelicensure nursing program with anticipated graduation within 12 months from the start of the externship
• Listed as Nursing Assistant I with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Fluent in verbal and written English
• Ability to organize and prioritize assignments in patient care delivery
• Basic computer skills
• Physical ability to lift and carry 40-50 lbs, including pushing/pulling patients on beds or stretchers (requires 29 lbs push force) and lateral transfers up to 50 lbs of patient weight
• Frequent to continuous standing and walking
• Ability to kneel, bend, squat, and perform CPR as required by the role

Schedule

• Full-time temporary position
• 40 hours per week
• Variable schedule
• Dates: May 24 - July 31
• Onsite in Raleigh, North Carolina

Compensation

• $18.00 per hour
• Not exempt from overtime

Employment Information

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