Lexington Health

It delivers more than 4,000 babies a year and holds U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity recognition, plus Best Hospital in the Columbia metro for 2026–2027. If you are new to practice, the Nurse Residency runs three cohorts a year with a twelve-week paid precepted stretch on one or two units—med-surg floors like 5th South Renal or 6th East Bariatric/Neuro, or tracks in critical care, ED, OR, and PACU. Residency postings list up to $8,000 sign-on, up to $5,250 student loan repayment, a free NCLEX review, and tuition reimbursement. Experienced RN roles in Med-Surg, Critical Care intermediate/step-down, and Labor & Delivery list sign-on bonuses up to $20,000, with differentials, certification incentive pay, self-scheduling, and relocation eligibility on select postings. The hospital is the first in South Carolina to achieve Magnet with Distinction. Nurses on review sites describe a friendly, collaborative floor culture; they also say base pay can lag the workload and that new-hire mentorship is uneven outside the formal residency block. Columbia’s cost of living sits roughly 6% below the national level, with typical commute talk in the 16–23 minute range if you live toward East Columbia or Elgin.

Shared governance model on Med-Surg and Critical Care units; Magnet with Distinction nursing excellence recognition.