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RN Residency - Surgical/Ortho

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UnityPoint Health

Rock Island, Illinois

Start your nursing career in a supportive, team-focused environment through UnityPoint Health's RN Residency Program.

Eligibility
SurgeryORSign-on bonus

Posted Oct 2 · Applications close Dec 1 · New grads welcomed

Shift and hours
Days (6:45AM-7:15PM) or nights (6:45PM-7:15AM) Days ( 6:45AM-7:15PM) or Nights (6:45PM-7:15AM), every third weekend and holiday
Unit and setting
Surgical/Ortho Unit · Hospital Our unit cares for both pre- and post-operative surgical patients, as well as general medical patientsPre- and post-operative surgical patients and general medical patients
License
RN license Current RN licensure in good standing to practice in the primary state of employmentCurrent RN licensure in good standing in the primary state of employment
Term
Permanent FTE/Hours per pay period: .90.9 FTE

Do you qualify?

New grads
Welcomed, 12-month residency Less than 12 months of clinical nursing experience in a hospital setting (new graduates encouraged to apply)
License
Current RN licensure in good standing in the primary state of employment Current RN licensure in good standing to practice in the primary state of employment
License
RN licensure in the secondary state within 90 days of hireAfter hire · within 90 days of hire Must apply for RN licensure in the secondary state within 90 days of hire
Certification
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification Must possess and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
Education
Diploma from an accredited RN program Diploma from an accredited Registered Nurse (RN) program
Experience
Less than 12 months of clinical nursing experience in a hospital setting
Also asks
Commitment to the 12-month Nurse Residency Program, including monthly in-person sessions Commitment to participate in the 12-month Nurse Residency Program, including monthly in-person sessions
Also asks
Excellent communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills
Your six-month RN application plan

Start about six months before graduation. Some programs open earlier; use each employer’s application dates.

  1. 6 months before

    Shortlist units

    Check application windows. Gather clinical experience, references and your expected graduation date.

    Find residencies
  2. 4–6 months before

    Apply as windows open

    Apply before graduation when the program allows it. Keep the cohort date and license deadline with each application.

    Explore new grad jobs
  3. 2–3 months before

    Meet the unit manager

    Ask about overtime, a shadow shift, preceptor continuity and the schedule after orientation.

    Prepare your questions
  4. Around graduation

    Confirm your start

    Coordinate NCLEX, the required license and your start date. Get relocation and repayment terms in writing.

    Plan your license
Why start this early?

Advocate describes a 6–9 month application runway for several regional RN programs. These milestones are a planning guide, not deadlines for every employer. See program calendars.

What it pays

Against similar roles
In range for Illinois staff rolesIllinois staff postings that state pay run $33/hr to $51/hr, the middle half $37/hr to $48/hr, across 1,652 postings.
Sign-on bonus
$10,000
Bonus
$10,000 sign-on bonus $10,000 Sign-On Bonus for Eligible External HiresEligible external hires
Extra pay
Differential pay and other compensation may apply beyond the base range Applicable to this role
Pay reviews
Offers vary by experience, skills, internal equity and business needs *Specific offers are determined by various factors, such as experience, skills, internal equity, and other business needs.

Benefits

  • BenefitsPaid time offExpect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.
  • BenefitsParental leave
  • Benefits401K matching
  • BenefitsEmployee recognition program
  • BenefitsDental insuranceDental, health and vision insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more.
  • BenefitsHealth insurance
More benefits (9)
  • BenefitsVision insurance
  • BenefitsPaid holidays
  • BenefitsShort and long-term disability
  • BenefitsPet insuranceWe even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.
  • BenefitsDaily Pay (early access to earned wages)Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.
  • BenefitsTuition reimbursement
  • BenefitsAdoption assistance
  • Dental, health and vision insurance
  • Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay

The role and schedule

Day to day
Deliver high quality care using the nursing process and unit-specific clinical skills
Day to day
Consult hospital resources to provide specialized education Consults appropriate resources within the hospital to provide specialized education.
Day to day
Prevent errors, accidents and infections and report concerns immediately Demonstrates knowledge that patient and workplace safety is a priority by preventing errors, accidents and infections and reporting potential or actual concerns immediately.
Day to day
Continue professional development, sharing knowledge through networking and research Continues professional development and involvement in professional activities that enhance nursing practice by sharing knowledge through networking and research.
Unit size
46-bed Surgical/Orthopedic unit Our 46-bed Surgical/Orthopedic unit
Weekends
Every third weekend Days ( 6:45AM-7:15PM) or Nights (6:45PM-7:15AM), every third weekend and holiday
Holidays
Every third weekend and holiday every third weekend and holiday
Start
Flexible, rolling start dates throughout the year Flexible, rolling start dates throughout the year to fit your schedule.
Travel
Occasional travel to other UnityPoint Health facilities Work may occasionally require travel to other UnityPoint Health facilities
Details
Monthly in-person sessions over a 12-month program Participate in a 12-month program built on the latest evidence supporting new nurse success, with monthly in-person sessions focused on real-world skills and leadership.
Details
Paid time to attend residency sessions Enjoy paid time to attend engaging sessions featuring role-play, discussion, and reflective writing
Details
Create and present an EBP or QI project and earn Iowa Board of Nursing-recognized contact hours Create and present an evidence-based practice or quality improvement project, and earn nursing contact hours recognized by the Iowa Board of Nursing.

Support on this unit

The posting does not state the assignment size, and nothing published names it for this unit.

Orientation
12-month residency Join Our RN Residency Program at UnityPoint Health!

The workplace

UnityPoint Health logo
UnityPoint Health
Health system employer

Worth asking

  • Can you walk me through base pay range, differentials, and sign-on bonus repayment terms?
  • What should I expect for weekly hours, holiday, call, and rotation?
More questions to ask
  • What preceptor time and ongoing unit support are included?
  • How are patient load, floating, and staffing support handled day to day?
Build questions for this role

Your fit

Original listing

Posted on UnityPoint Health’s careers page.

Read full text
  • Area of Interest: Nursing
  • Salary Range: *32.72-49.09/Hr
  • Sign On Bonus: $10,000
  • FTE/Hours per pay period: .9
  • Department: Surg/Ortho RI 6S- RI
  • Shift: 6:45am-7:15pm OR 6:45pm- 7:15am

Overview Join Our RN Residency Program at UnityPoint Health!

Surgical/Ortho Unit

Days ( 6:45AM-7:15PM) or Nights (6:45PM-7:15AM), every third weekend and holiday

$10,000 Sign-On Bonus for Eligible External Hires

Start your nursing career in a supportive, team-focused environment through UnityPoint Health's RN Residency Program. Our 46-bed Surgical/Orthopedic unit offers an exceptional foundation for new nurses by providing exposure to a wide variety of patient populations, surgical procedures, telemetry monitoring, and complex medical care. Nurses develop strong assessment, prioritization, and critical thinking skills while working alongside an experienced and supportive team committed to helping new graduates succeed.

Our unit cares for both pre- and post-operative surgical patients, as well as general medical patients, creating a diverse and engaging clinical experience. Nurses gain experience across a variety of surgical specialties, including knee and hip replacements, abdominal surgeries, thoracic procedures, and vascular cases, while collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to deliver safe, high-quality, patient-centered care.

Nursing practice is guided by the ANA Code of Ethics, UnityPoint Health's Philosophy of Nursing, and the Professional Nurse Practice Model, fostering collaboration, professionalism, and excellence in patient care.

What makes our Quad Cities/Muscatine Market unique? Our Commit to Sit program encourages nurses to spend five intentional minutes each day connecting with every patient, strengthening relationships, improving communication, and enhancing the patient experience through compassionate, holistic care.

Why UnityPoint Health?

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options focused on your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in. Here are just a few:

  • Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.
  • Dental, health and vision insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.
  • Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience.

Join our team of experts and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

Responsibilities

Designed specifically for newly graduated nurses, our RN Residency Program provides the support and resources needed for a successful transition from student to professional nurse.

  • Comprehensive Support for New Nurses: Our Nurse Residency Program is designed to ease your transition from student to professional nurse, providing professional, emotional, and social support throughout your first year.
  • Evidence-Based Learning: Participate in a 12-month program built on the latest evidence supporting new nurse success, with monthly in-person sessions focused on real-world skills and leadership.
  • Active, Paid Learning Environment: Enjoy paid time to attend engaging sessions featuring role-play, discussion, and reflective writing, all in a supportive peer and mentor network.
  • Diverse, Relevant Topics: Develop expertise in stress management, teamwork, patient care, quality and safety, evidence-based practice, ethical decision-making, technology, and leadership.
  • Professional Development: Create and present an evidence-based practice or quality improvement project, and earn nursing contact hours recognized by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
  • Automatic Enrollment: All newly graduated nurses (less than 12 months of clinical experience) are automatically enrolled upon hire—no separate application required!
  • Multiple Start Dates: Flexible, rolling start dates throughout the year to fit your schedule.
  • Proven

Benefits

Graduates experience smoother transitions into practice, increased job satisfaction, decreased burnout, and improved clinical competency.

Why These Points Stand Out

  • They directly address the top concerns of new graduates: support, learning, and professional growth.
  • The program’s structure (paid time sessions, mentorship, project work) is a strong differentiator.
  • Automatic enrollment and flexible start dates remove barriers to participation.
  • The focus on evidence-based practice and leadership appeals to ambitious candidates seeking long-term career development.

Responsibilities

  • Delivers high quality care utilizing the nursing process while demonstrating knowledge and clinical skills of the specialty required on assigned unit in accordance with established policies, procedures and standards of care.
  • Consults appropriate resources within the hospital to provide specialized education.
  • Demonstrates knowledge that patient and workplace safety is a priority by preventing errors, accidents and infections and reporting potential or actual concerns immediately.
  • Promptly completes documentation to assure an accurate legal record of patient’s care.
  • Continues professional development and involvement in professional activities that enhance nursing practice by sharing knowledge through networking and research.

Qualifications

Diploma from an accredited Registered Nurse (RN) program

Current RN licensure in good standing to practice in the primary state of employment

Must apply for RN licensure in the secondary state within 90 days of hire

Must possess and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Less than 12 months of clinical nursing experience in a hospital setting (new graduates encouraged to apply)

Commitment to participate in the 12-month Nurse Residency Program, including monthly in-person sessions

Excellent communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills

Work may occasionally require travel to other UnityPoint Health facilities

#RNpositionsQC

*Specific offers are determined by various factors, such as experience, skills, internal equity, and other business needs. The salary range listed does not include other forms of compensation which may include bonuses/incentive, differential pay, or other forms of compensation or benefits that may be applicable to this role.

What's around it?

In Rock Island, IL

Rock Island, ILFrom Census ACS 2024.

Living costs about 11% below the US average

Median rent
$842/mo
Household income
$59,041/yr, all local households, not nurse pay

See Rock Island, IL

Nurses on this role

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