Student Nurse Extern I - Youth Behavioral Health Cardinal Unit

UNC Health's Youth Behavioral Health Facility is seeking a Student Nurse Extern I to join the Cardinal Unit, a 14-bed inpatient psychiatric unit serving adolescents aged 12 to 15 who require acute psychiatric stabilization. This temporary position offers prelicensure nursing students an immersive clinical experience to enhance their foundational nursing education and role socialization within a hospital setting.

The Student Nurse Extern I functions as a member of the patient care team under the direct supervision of an assigned RN partner, working within the Nursing Assistant I scope of practice. This externship is not an extension of school clinicals; skills performed under clinical instructor supervision such as IV/PO medication administration, assessment documentation, and NGT/foley insertion are not permitted.

Clinical Setting

The Youth Behavioral Health Cardinal Unit evaluates, treats, and monitors adolescents in acute psychiatric crisis. The unit aims to stabilize the current crisis, engage natural and community supports, and assist individuals in planning for further care. Treatment includes psychiatric evaluation and assessment, observation and monitoring of medical conditions, psychotropic medication treatment, family engagement, and therapy management. The unit also teaches patients skills to avoid future crises and arranges discharge and aftercare appointments through community providers.

Responsibilities

• Observe, collect, and document patient information while providing care and promptly report significant changes in the patient's condition to a registered nurse or provider
• Participate in the collaborative identification and reporting of patient safety issues
• Provide assistance to patients and families during admission, orientation to the hospital experience, and discharge
• Provide care and treatments as outlined in the plan of care, including measurement of vital signs, height and weight, specimen collection, skin preps, catheter care, capillary blood glucose checks, simple wound care, range of motion exercises, postural drainage, and supportive patient and family interactions
• Provide direct personal care for routine activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and assisting with ambulation
• Provide indirect care including cleaning the work area, changing linens, restocking supplies, cleaning and sterilizing instruments, transporting patients and supplies, assisting in orientation of new employees and students, and routine clerical functions
• Reinforce routine teaching given by the registered nurse or provider and document patient understanding
• Assist providers with routine examinations and procedures and procurement of equipment and supplies during emergency situations
• In the psychiatric setting: aid patients in reality orientation, participate in behavior modification plans and therapy, provide informal support therapy to patients and families, provide verbal de-escalation of potentially aggressive patients, aid in physical management of aggressive or out-of-control patients, facilitate age-appropriate play for children, and monitor therapeutic milieu activities to ensure emotional and safety needs are met

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 the delivery of patient care
• Attainment and maintenance of unit-specific competencies
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to lift and carry 40-50 lbs, including pushing and pulling patients on beds and stretchers (requires 29 lbs. push force) and lateral transfers up to 50 lbs. of patient weight
• Frequent to continuous standing and walking
• Ability to perform activities including kneeling, bending, squatting, and CPR as required for the role

Schedule

• Shift: Day and night rotating shifts including rotating weekends
• Hours: 24 or 36 hours per week
• Program dates: May 24 – July 31, 2027
• Orientation: One week in Chapel Hill, offered every two weeks. Monday and Tuesday in-person from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday virtual

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly rate: $18.00 per hour
• Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
• Extensive benefit package including PTO hours accrued based on hours worked
• State position employed by UNC Health Care System with UNC Health benefits
• If currently an employee of another North Carolina agency participating in TSERS or ORP, you may continue participating in those plans at UNC Health

Work Details

• Employment type: Temporary full-time
• Work assignment: Onsite
• Location: Butner, NC 27509
• Exempt from overtime: No
• Reports to: Assigned department's Patient Services Manager or designated Education Leader