RN New Graduate Nurse- 5 East Acute Care Oncology

Next program start date: May 2026 - August 2026, with varied start dates based on graduation and NCLEX dates.

About the Program

The twelve-month UNC Health Rex Nurse Residency program supports the transition from academia to practice for new graduate nurses. The wrap-around support from all levels of nursing is designed to assist new nurses in developing competence and confidence in the professional role.

• In addition to clinical orientation on the unit, the Residency program provides structured clinical and professional growth.
• The first component involves engaging classroom sessions focused on clinical skills and issues relevant to the unit and service line.
• The next component includes continuing education professional development sessions and completion of a group evidence-based practice project.
• Participants will complete milestones as defined by their unit and attend regular check-ins with unit leadership and educators.

Program Goals

• Increase proficiency – from novice to competent nurse.
• Promote evidence-based practice at the bedside to ensure best patient outcomes.
• Develop clinical leadership skills at the point of care.
• Become part of an inclusive organization with over 40,000 diverse employees, whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the unique communities served.

Why UNC Health Rex?

• Named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights.
• Named Best Hospital in WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards.
• Top 100 Hospital for Stroke Care by Healthgrades.
• Named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights.
• Named one of the ‘World’s Best Hospitals 2023’ by Newsweek.

Requirements

• Graduation from a school of professional nursing.
• Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of North Carolina by the day of clinical care.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider certification.

Definition of a new graduate nurse: Nursing student in their final semester of a nursing program, or nursing graduate within 12 months of graduation, and RN who has worked less than 6 months as a registered nurse.

Incentives

• Up to $25,000 tuition loan forgiveness or $10,000 Commitment Incentive (for select departments only).
• Up to $5,000 in relocation assistance (based on location).
• Eligible for the employee referral program.

Learn more about the UNC Rex Incentive Program.

About the Unit

5 East – Acute Care Oncology

Oncology 5 East is a 31-bed Medical/Oncology Unit primarily caring for oncology patients at any point on the cancer continuum, from diagnosis through end-of-life support. Other diagnoses treated include benign hematology and general medicine patients. The unit collaborates with a multidisciplinary team that includes Oncologists, Advanced Practice Providers, and Palliative Care Providers. Nurses are certified in providing Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy, as well as holding professional certifications in Oncology and/or General Medicine. The focus is on the resiliency of both patients and nursing staff by providing a supportive, nurturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Education:
  • Identifies and meets learning needs of self.
  • Attends education programs based on identified learning needs.
  • Uses patient education materials relevant to patient population with assistance.
  • Assesses readiness to learn of the patient/family/caregivers.
  • Assesses developmental level of patient and factors affecting ability to learn.
• Evaluation of Care:
  • Identifies expected patient outcomes.
  • Seeks guidance as needed in revision of plan of care.
  • Participates in discussion with members of the interdisciplinary team in evaluation of patient care.
  • Communicates relevant information to promote continuity of care.
• Implementation:
  • Demonstrates competence in care of patients with complex problems, including population-appropriate physical, psychosocial, educational, and safety aspects of care.
  • Performs bedside point-of-care testing as required for patient care plan.
  • Utilizes healthcare organization and nursing standards, policies, and procedures in delivery of care.
  • Organizes and prioritizes care according to patient/family needs.
  • Consults with appropriate resources in a timely fashion regarding patients with complex care issues, unusual teaching needs, and/or those at high risk for discharge planning.
• Leadership:
  • Develops goals to promote professional growth or minimize limitations with assistance.
  • Achieves goals and objectives within identified time frame or renegotiates with supervisor.
  • Is knowledgeable about activities that facilitate intra/interdepartmental collaboration.
  • Participates in development and achievement of unit goals and performance improvement activities.
  • Effectively uses communication systems.
  • Participates in promoting cost-effective care.
  • Provides feedback to co-workers.
  • Is aware of public policy and regulatory guidelines affecting the healthcare environment.
  • Promotes a safe, clean, and secure hospital environment for all.
• Patient Assessment:
  • Recognizes data from complex situations to determine priorities for care.
  • Includes appropriate physical, psychosocial, education, and safety needs.
  • Synthesizes assessment data into a meaningful whole prior to communication to others.
  • Assesses and anticipates discharge needs of individual patients and families.
  • Develops relationships with families that promote their ability to advocate for the patient and their own needs.
• Planning:
  • Collaborates with patient/family to prepare or update the plan of care.
  • Makes use of available multidisciplinary resources in planning care.
  • Begins to use full range of communication as a means to convey planning.
  • Identifies and addresses cultural and ethnic issues in planning patient care.
  • Demonstrates ability to prioritize tasks for patients with complex problems.
• Research:
  • Reads journals that contain studies or articles applicable to practice.
  • Brings ideas and questions to the staff at large for assessment of applicability.

Qualifications

• Education Requirements: Graduation from a school of professional nursing. If hired after January 6, 2014, must be enrolled within four years of employment and obtain a Bachelor's degree with a major in Nursing or a Master's degree with a major in Nursing within seven years of employment date.
• Licensure/Certification Requirements: Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of North Carolina by the day of clinical care. Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Provider certification.
• Professional Experience Requirements: No prior experience required.

Job Details

Full Time, 36 hours per week. Pay range: $32.55/hour (minimum). Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity. Onsite, variable schedule. 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.