Navigating Nursing Careers at UCLA Health: Requirements and Opportunities

UCLA Health stands as a beacon of healthcare excellence, offering a wide array of nursing positions across its diverse medical facilities. For nurses seeking to advance their careers in a dynamic and supportive environment, understanding the specific requirements and opportunities within UCLA Health is essential. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the various nursing roles available, the eligibility criteria for the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program, and other crucial aspects of nursing employment at UCLA Health.

Diverse Nursing Specialties at UCLA Health

UCLA Health provides nurses the opportunity to specialize in various fields, allowing them to align their passion with their professional growth. These specialties include:

Critical Care

In critical care settings, every second counts, and lives are often on the line. UCLA Health offers positions in several ICU environments, allowing nurses to focus on a single specialty at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center or care for a wide variety of ICU patients in the Medical/Surgical Adult ICU at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, a Coronary Care Intensive Care Unit, a Medical Intensive Care Unit, a Neurosurgery/Trauma Intensive Care Unit, and a Transplant/Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

Medical/Surgical Specialties/Telemetry

Nurses in Med/Surg units assist a diverse patient population through all stages of treatment and recovery. Medical & Surgical Specialty/Telemetry units at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center include the Gonda Observation Unit, the Medical Telemetry Unit, the Cardiac Observation Unit, the Cardiac Surgery Unit, the Neuroscience and Stroke Unit, the Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit, the Clinical Translational Science Institute, the General Surgery Units for Gyn-Onc, Trauma, Head and Neck and Urology, the Liver Transplant Unit, the Vascular/Reconstructive Plastics/Orthopedics/Epilepsy Unit, and a Neurological Rehabilitation and Research Unit. UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, offers an Orthopedics Unit, a Medical Unit, a General Surgery Unit, a Solid Oncology Unit, a Geriatric Unit, and a Cardiology Intermediary Care Unit.

Perinatal

For nurses with a passion for new life, the Perinatal units offer the chance to provide the best birthing experience for mothers and their families. These units focus on delivering the best outcomes through advanced technology and a patient-oriented setting. The BirthPlace at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood are comprehensive maternity centers that offer advanced, high-risk, specialized perinatal care, with private rooms and a wide range of services.

Pediatric

At UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, nurses can make a lasting impact on young lives. The hospital features a Level 3 NICU, a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and a multispecialty Acute Pediatrics Unit. UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, also provides enhanced services to pediatric patients with a 26-bed general pediatrics unit, a 16-bed Level 2 NICU, and a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Perioperative

Perioperative nurses contribute their knowledge and expertise in areas such as the Operating Room, the Procedure Treatment Unit, the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, and the Surgical Observation Unit. These roles offer exciting challenges with a diversity of high-acuity cases and opportunities to work with advanced technology and surgical robotics. Opportunities are available at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and the Jules Stein Eye Institute.

Emergency Medicine

ER Nurses at UCLA Health handle fast-paced challenges, using their specialized expertise to help critically ill or injured patients. The Level I Trauma Center at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is a Pediatric Trauma Center (PTC), a Certified Stroke Center, and a Pediatric Medical Center (PMC). The Nethercutt Emergency Department at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, serves as a paramedic receiving facility for all patient populations and is a designated STEMI SRC, a Rape Treatment Center, and an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics.

Neuropsychiatric

The Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA Health offers nurses the chance to provide compassionate, comprehensive care for the mind and body. The hospital features an inpatient Adult Medical/Geriatric Psychiatry Unit, an Acute ICU, a Substance Abuse Adult Psychiatry Unit, and an Adolescent/Child Psychiatry Unit.

Ambulatory/Transplant

Nurses in Ambulatory/Transplant roles help restore lives through specialized expertise in treating rare and difficult cases. UCLA Health has more than 100 outpatient specialty clinics and nursing areas and offers the largest transplant program in the world. Transplant therapy work includes adult heart and lung, pediatric heart, adult/pediatric liver and small bowel, adult kidney and pancreas, pediatric kidney, bone marrow, and hand.

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Other Nursing Services

UCLA Health offers various other nursing roles, including positions on Critical Care Transport Teams, Nursing Float/Resource Team, and the interdisciplinary Clinical Systems Team (CST).

New Graduate Nurse Residency Program

UCLA Health's New Graduate Nurse Residency Program is designed to support new graduates' transition to practice. The program lasts approximately one year and provides key resources to ensure their success.

Program Components and Resources

The residency year includes:

Orientation to UCLA hospital systems, nursing department, standards of care, and clinical skills lab.
Monthly education sessions address leadership, patient outcomes, and professionalism.
Unit-based orientation and educational programs.
Unit-based preceptors and mentors.
Unit and hospital-based clinical nurse specialists and clinical educators.

Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program:

Applicants must have graduated from a registered nursing program between June 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025.
Before the program starts in March 2026, applicants must have less than 6 months of RN experience in an inpatient setting or no experience as a licensed RN.
Applicants must have a current, valid California RN license prior to the start date.
BLS from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association must be provided prior to the start date.
Operative Room Services will require nurses to learn to scrub and circulate.

Program Commitment

New graduate nurse residents are expected to:

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Commit to full-time employment for the one-year program and continued employment for a second year.
Participate in one resident session a month and complete an evidence-based practice project.
Fulfill all professional requirements of a first-year member of the professional nursing staff.
Adhere to all hospital guidelines.
Develop and utilize mentor relationships.
Participate actively in training experiences.
Complete program evaluations.

Program Areas

New graduate nurse residents will be assigned to areas based on their background and the needs and availability within UCLA Health. These areas may include Adult ICU, Pediatric ICU, Neonatal ICU, Cardiothoracic ICU, Liver/Transplant Surgical ICU, Med Surg/Telemetry, Hematology/Oncology, Perinatal, Emergency Department, and Operative Room Services.

RN First Assistant (RNFA) Program

The RN First Assistant (RNFA) Program consists of 52 hours of lecture and laboratory work, plus a required independent preceptorship. Practicing surgeons, clinical professionals, and perioperative nurse specialists provide participants with the knowledge and techniques essential for assuming the responsibilities of the RNFA.

Prerequisites for Acceptance

Bachelor's degree in a related field
RN license
Two years of operating room experience in scrubbing and circulating
Board Certified/or eligible APRNs are also accepted into the program.

Recruitment Fraud Alert

UCLA Health has issued a recruitment fraud alert to warn candidates about individuals and organizations making false employment offers. These fraudulent entities may request personal information or money to progress the application or pay for work permits. UCLA Health emphasizes that it will never ask for money or payments from applicants at any point in the recruitment process. All individuals who receive an employment offer from UCLA Health will be required to go through a formal recruitment process, which will always involve a virtual or in-person meeting with a UCLA Health employee or representative.

Applying to UCLA Health

To apply for nursing positions at UCLA Health:

Apply for an open position at UCLA Health to receive personalized job alerts.
Create a Student Account and Profile to complete the application for the RNFA program.
Verify acceptance prior to making travel arrangements and purchasing required texts for the RNFA program.

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