New Grad RN Jobs
Your remarkable nursing career awaits.
Congratulations on your recent or upcoming nursing program graduation! Novant Health empowers you to launch your nursing career through our unique, comprehensive nurse residency program. Our program may also be a good route for you if you want the option to change specialties in your first year of nursing.
Program highlights
Get the confidence and experience you need to transition your career into a professional nursing practice.
Eligibility
- New graduate of accredited ASN or BSN programs
- Less than 12 months of nursing experience
- Don’t have to have earned NCLEX to apply
How to apply
Complete application
Attach a resume
Incomplete résumés may not be accepted.
You can, but are not required to, include a specialty track preference in your résumé objective.
Application process
We recommend applying 6 to 9 months before you graduate.
Interview
We want to get to know you! We also want you to understand the nurse residency program and Novant Health. We will ask what your top three specialty areas are. You will complete one interview for all your geographic and specialty preferences.
Application decision
After your interview, you should get your application decision within a week. Your application portal will reflect your decision. If you are selected, a recruiter will contact you with next steps.
Non-U.S. citizens
Novant Health may be able to sponsor candidates for new grad RN jobs who are not U.S. citizens and completed their RN education in the United States, or are currently practicing RNs.
Waitlist
Waitlist means you are a very strong candidate, but we have already hired all the nurses we can for a given specialty. If one of those nurses declines their spot, those on the waitlist may be offered that spot.
Requirements to start
Valid RN license
Pass NCLEX
While you don’t need them to apply, if you receive a nurse residency offer, you must have your valid RN license and pass the NCLEX before orientation to actually start the program.
If you don’t pass the NCLEX at first, you can retest two more times. You can work as a graduate nurse while retesting, or we can hold your offer until the next hire date after you pass. If you don’t pass after two retests, you’ll need to reapply for the program.
About new grad RN jobs
Novant Health’s accredited RN residency program allows new nursing school graduates the time to gradually assume the duties and responsibilities that accompany the nursing role at our organization.
As a Novant Health nurse resident, you can expect to earn an RN salary competitive with state and national rates. We may also offer credit for experience as a paramedic, licensed professional nurse (LPN), or other licensed professional.
Once you join our team, we want you to stay. That’s why we continually monitor market conditions to ensure we’re always offering you the best salary possible.
All our new grad RN jobs are full-time positions. This is because we believe that a full year of full-time employment is what it takes to become a fully competent RN. Most residents work between 36 to 40 hours per week depending on class schedules and specialty. However, we are happy to discuss special situations on a case-by-case basis.
Your shifts will be assigned at the unit level and are based on preceptor availability. If you have achieved independent practice, shift assignments are made based on unit need. You are encouraged to discuss shift preferences with your unit managers.
We hope you love us and want to stay! But if you need to change your work situation for whatever reason, you are free to leave Novant Health at any time.
During your first year, you have the option to rotate every 12 to 14 weeks, up to 4 rotations within your specialty to different units in the hospital or region you are hired into. This time allows you to experience different patient populations and settings and find your perfect fit as a Novant Health nurse.
Accreditation - ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program
We're proud the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Accreditation Program awarded our nurse residency program accreditation with distinction, the highest recognition awarded. Novant Health's nurse residency program was the second system in NC to receive this honor.
The current sites included in this accreditation with distinction are:
- Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center
- Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center
- Novant Health Medical Park Hospital
- Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center
- Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center
- Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
- Novant Health Matthews Medical Center
- Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center
- Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center
- Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital
- Novant Health Rowan Medical Center
- Medical-surgical
- Oncology
- Critical care
- Labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum (LDRP)
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
- Pediatrics
- Operating room
- Psychiatric
- Emergency department
- Specialty practice: cardiac
- Preoperative
Meet the program managers.
Lindsey Horne
MHA, BSN, RNC-MNN, RN-BCManager of Nurse Residencies
Lindsey Horne began her nursing career at Novant Health 14 years ago as a new graduate nurse. Lindsey is a UNC Charlotte graduate and spent the majority of her time at the bedside working in women’s health at Novant Health Matthews Medical Center. With encouragement from unit leaders, family and friends, Lindsey began to pursue her Master of Healthcare Administration in 2009. Since receiving her master’s degree, Lindsey has served in a variety of roles, from clinical supervisor to clinical nurse educator. Currently, Lindsey serves as the manager of nurse residencies, overseeing Novant Health’s student nurse apprenticeship and residency programs. Lindsey is extremely passionate about working with new nurses and helping them transition to professional practice. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Dusty, daughter, Laney, and dog, Kirby.
Gari Leigh Adams
DNP, RN, CENManager of Nurse Residencies
Gari Leigh has worked at Novant Health for 25 years. She began her nursing career as a student nurse apprentice at Forsyth Medical Center in 2000. In 2001, Gari Leigh began working in the emergency department as a new graduate nurse and spent 23 years serving in different capacities within her specialty. In addition to working at the bedside for ten years, Gari Leigh served as an American Heart Association (AHA) instructor (ACLS, PALS, and BLS), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) faculty, clinical nurse educator, and clinical practice specialist for Novant Health emergency departments. Gari Leigh is an instructor at a local community college and teaches RN to BSN courses for UNC Wilmington. Gari Leigh is passionate about all aspects of nursing, but particularly providing compassionate, professional foundations for the transitioning nurse. When Gari Leigh is not working, she enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her husband and three daughters.
Heidi Winslow
DNP, RN, CNEclManager of Nurse Residencies
Heidi has been a nurse at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center since 2014. She spent 10 years in academic nursing teaching pre-licensure nursing students. She received her bachelor's in nursing from California State University Chico and her master’s and doctorate degrees from Liberty University. Her clinical background is in critical care and emergency room nursing. Her research background resulted in three published manuscripts, three podium presentations, and five poster presentations. She is currently a co-researcher for an American Heart Association’s grant for congestive heart failure predictors. One of her favorite projects was developing a recruitment video through the American Association of Men in Nursing to promote diversity in the nursing workforce. Her hope is to enhance a nursing workforce at Novant Health that represents the populations we serve. She assisted in the launch of the coastal market residency program in 2022. Her goal is to recruit and retain amazing nurses to Novant Health. She is married and proud mother of four children and two grandsons. Heidi lives in beautiful Wrightsville Beach and enjoys anything in the ocean on her days off.
Looking for CNA openings?
Novant Health relies on the expertise of its certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to uphold our excellent patient safety standards.
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