About the Role
Watauga Medical Center is seeking a skilled and compassionate Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (RN) to join our dedicated medical-surgical team. The Med-Surg RN will provide high-quality, patient-centered care to adult and geriatric patients with a variety of medical conditions and surgical interventions. The ideal candidate will possess strong clinical skills, excellent communication abilities, and a commitment to delivering exceptional patient care. Key Responsibilities:

• Patient Care:
  
  • Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate individualized care plans for patients.
  • Provide direct patient care, including administering medications, performing wound care, and monitoring vital signs.
  • Assist with diagnostic tests and procedures, ensuring patient comfort and safety.
• Patient Education:
  
  • Educate patients and their families on health conditions, treatments, and post-discharge care.
  • Develop and implement discharge plans to ensure continuity of care and optimal patient outcomes.
• Collaboration:
  
  • Collaborate with physicians, other nurses, and healthcare team members to coordinate patient care.
  • Participate in multidisciplinary rounds and care conferences to discuss patient progress and care plans.
• Documentation:
  
  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation of patient assessments, interventions, and responses in the electronic health record (EHR).
  • Ensure compliance with hospital policies and regulatory standards in all documentation practices.
• Patient Advocacy:
  
  • Advocate for patients' rights and needs, ensuring they receive the highest standard of care.
  • Provide emotional support and education to patients and their families.
• Professional Development:
  
  • Stay current with best practices, new technologies, and advances in medical-surgical nursing.
  • Participate in continuing education opportunities and professional development activities.
• Compliance and Safety:
  
  • Adhere to all hospital policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
  • Follow infection control guidelines and maintain a safe environment for patients and staff.

Compensation is commensurate with education and experience. Hiring compensation ranges from $30.50-$39.65 per hour. Eligible for shift differential on top of base rate of pay. Benefits eligible after a 60-day waiting period.
Minimum Education

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.

Experience

• Previous experience as a registered nurse is not required but is preferred.
• Previous health care experience in an acute or clinic setting is preferred.
• One-year of prior experience in a similar role with a similar scope is preferred.

Required Registration/License/Certification

• Current licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of North Carolina.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) issued from the American Heart Association is required at the time of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to communicate courteously and effectively with the public, patients, family, staff, and physicians and acts within the chain of command, utilizing positive verbal and non-verbal skills.
• Competent in delivering safe and effective patient care within legal limits of licensure and hospital policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of the continuum of nursing care provided in the patient care department.
• Ability to demonstrate exceptional customer service to patients, family, staff, and physicians.

Physical Demands

• Lifts, positions, pushes, pulls, and/or transfers up to and greater than 50 pounds.
• Manual dexterity and mobility.
• Prolonged, extensive, or considerable sitting/standing/walking.
• Bending, squatting, twisting, turning.
• Near acuity: ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less.

Working Conditions

• Regularly exposed to the risk of blood-borne diseases.
• Frequently exposed to hazards from electrical/mechanical/power equipment, odorous chemicals and specimens, and unpleasant elements (accident, injury, slippery surfaces, uneven surfaces), etc.
• Subject to irregular hours (days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays) and emergency situations.
• Continuous standing and walking long periods = to or greater than >8 hours per shift.
• Speaking, reading, and writing, expanded > 8 hours per day.
• Exposed to vibration and cramped spaces >1 hour per day.
• Frequently mobilizes patients >4 hours per day.
• Frequently per shift: lifts, carries, pushes, and/or pulls >50 lbs.
• Frequently per hour: bends, squats, kneels, twists, turns, and reaches.
• Frequently per minute: hand, finger, and wrist repetition and moderate dexterity.
• Frequently per hour, exposed to soft voices >3ft away.
• Frequently per hour, exposed to close eye work.
• Infrequently per shift, may be exposed to ionizing/non-ionizing radiation exposure including x-ray and microwave.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package to include health, dental, and vision insurance as well as HSA.
• Supplemental insurance to include short and long-term disability insurance, accidental insurance, life insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, critical illness insurance, identity theft protection, legal insurance, etc.
• Student loan refinancing benefit and college savings fund as well as tuition reimbursement for qualifying employees.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid time off - front-loaded for the first year for qualifying part-time and full-time employees (amount based on status and FTE at the time of hire) - paid time off accrual begins following the first year of employment. Cash out option also available for qualifying employees by meeting specified criteria.
• Paid parental leave - qualifying employees are eligible to use two (2) weeks of paid parental leave anytime during the first six (6) months following the birth or adoption of a child - to be taken consecutively.
• Employee Wellness program - Love Your Life - award-winning voluntary wellness program available for UNC Health Appalachian employees. Employees enrolled on the organization's health plan can enroll with our health screening (biometrics and labs) and earn program incentives. Employees who are not enrolled on the organization's health plan can participate in online wellness activities for a chance to earn quarterly prize drawings.
• Employee to Employee (E2E) program - Caring for our own. Employee program that is solely funded by voluntary employee donations. The money is used to financially assist co-workers that are experiencing unexpected financial hardship.
• Employee perks to include discounted rates for Dollywood, Biltmore, Tweetsie Railroad, etc. (subject to change).
• Take a virtual tour of our new Schaefer Family Patient Care Tower by clicking here.

About UNC Health Appalachian
UNC Health Appalachian, the leader for healthcare in the High Country, comprises three hospitals, 13 medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. UNC Health Appalachian stays committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life, and simply "making life better."
About UNC Health
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 14 hospitals, 18 hospital campuses and more than 500 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. Over the past three years, UNC Health has provided more than $400 million in uncompensated or charity care to the citizens of North Carolina. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety and the overall patient experience. For more information, please visit unchealth.org.
UNC Health Appalachian embraces diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We value a workforce that reflects a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, as it enhances our ability to provide outstanding care. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. UNC Health Appalachian is committed to providing a fair and inclusive hiring process and a workplace where all team members feel respected and empowered. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us.
Employment at UNC Health Appalachian is contingent upon successful completion of a background and drug screen.
For accommodations or additional information, contact recruitment@apprhs.org.