UCLA Registered Nurse Job Description: A Comprehensive Overview

UCLA Health stands as a beacon of excellence, offering registered nurses a myriad of opportunities to excel in various specialized fields. With a commitment to patient-centered care and a supportive environment for professional growth, UCLA Health provides a platform for nurses to make a significant impact on the lives of patients and their families. This article delves into the diverse roles and responsibilities of registered nurses at UCLA Health, highlighting the unique opportunities available across different specialties.

Critical Care Nursing: Where Every Second Counts

In critical care settings, registered nurses are at the forefront of providing life-saving interventions to patients in dire need. UCLA Health offers a range of ICU environments, allowing nurses to specialize in specific areas or gain experience with a diverse patient population.

At Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, nurses can focus on specialized ICUs such as:

Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit: Caring for patients recovering from heart and lung surgeries.
Coronary Care Intensive Care Unit: Managing patients with acute cardiac conditions.
Medical Intensive Care Unit: Providing comprehensive care for patients with complex medical illnesses.
Neurosurgery/Trauma Intensive Care Unit: Specializing in the care of patients with neurological injuries and trauma.
Transplant/Surgical Intensive Care Unit: Focusing on the unique needs of transplant and surgical patients.

UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, offers a Medical/Surgical Adult ICU where nurses encounter a broad spectrum of critical care cases.

Medical/Surgical Specialties/Telemetry: Guiding Patients Through Recovery

Registered nurses in medical/surgical and telemetry units play a vital role in helping patients navigate all stages of treatment and recovery. These units cater to a diverse patient population, providing nurses with a wide range of experiences.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center features several specialized medical and surgical units, including:

Gonda Observation Unit: Monitoring patients requiring close observation.
Medical Telemetry Unit: Tracking patients' vital signs and cardiac rhythms.
Cardiac Observation Unit: Focusing on patients with cardiac concerns.
Cardiac Surgery Unit: Caring for patients recovering from cardiac surgeries.
Neuroscience and Stroke Unit: Specializing in the care of patients with neurological conditions and stroke.
Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Unit: Providing specialized care for patients undergoing hematological treatments and stem cell transplants.
Clinical Translational Science Institute: Participating in research and innovative patient care.
General Surgery Units: Specializing in Gyn-Onc, Trauma, Head and Neck, and Urology surgeries.
Liver Transplant Unit: Focusing on the unique needs of liver transplant patients.
Vascular/Reconstructive Plastics/Orthopedics/Epilepsy Unit: Caring for patients with vascular, reconstructive, orthopedic, and epilepsy conditions.
Neurological Rehabilitation and Research Unit: Assisting patients in their neurological rehabilitation journey.

UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, also offers specialized units such as:

Orthopedics Unit: Caring for patients with orthopedic conditions.
Medical Unit: Providing comprehensive care for patients with various medical illnesses.
General Surgery Unit: Specializing in general surgical procedures.
Solid Oncology Unit: Focusing on the care of patients with solid tumors.
Geriatric Unit: Catering to the unique needs of elderly patients.
Cardiology Intermediary Care Unit: Providing intermediate care for cardiology patients.

Perinatal Nursing: Celebrating New Life

For nurses with a passion for new life, perinatal nursing offers a rewarding opportunity to provide exceptional care to mothers and their families. UCLA Health's BirthPlace at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood are renowned maternity centers in Southern California.

These BirthPlace locations offer:

Advanced, high-risk, specialized perinatal care.
Private rooms for a comfortable birthing experience.
A wide range of services to support mothers and families.
The latest technology in a serene, patient-oriented setting.

Perinatal nurses at UCLA Health ensure that mothers and babies receive the best possible care, focusing on delivering positive outcomes in every situation.

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Pediatric Nursing: Making a Lasting Impact on Young Lives

Pediatric nursing provides a unique opportunity to care for the youngest and most vulnerable patients. At UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, nurses are empowered to make a lasting impact on young lives.

The hospital features:

A Level 3 NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)
A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
A multispecialty Acute Pediatrics Unit

UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, also provides enhanced services to pediatric patients, including:

A 26-bed general pediatrics unit
A 16-bed Level 2 NICU
A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Perioperative Nursing: Contributing to Life-Changing Experiences

Perioperative nurses play a crucial role in delivering life-changing experiences for patients and their families within UCLA Health's Magnet®-designated, award-winning hospitals.

Opportunities are available in various areas, including:

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The Operating Room (OR)
The Procedure Treatment Unit (PTU)
The Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
The Surgical Observation Unit

Nurses in these roles work with accomplished professionals, advanced technology, and surgical robotics while managing a diversity of high-acuity cases. UCLA Health supports professional development through:

PeriOperative Nurse Residency Program
Clinical ladder program for leadership advancement
Certification classes, test reimbursement, and certificate differential

Opportunities are available at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and the Jules Stein Eye Institute.

Emergency Medicine: Thriving in a Fast-Paced Environment

Emergency medicine nursing offers exciting rewards for those who thrive in fast-paced, challenging environments. ER nurses at UCLA Health utilize their specialized expertise to care for critically ill or injured patients, working alongside top professionals in the field.

UCLA Health provides ample opportunities for growth and development, including a customized ER training program for new graduates and non-ER nurses.

Key features of UCLA Health's emergency medicine services include:

A Level I Trauma Center at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, designated as a Pediatric Trauma Center (PTC), a Certified Stroke Center, and a Pediatric Medical Center (PMC).
A designated LA County ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Receiving Center (SRC) at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
The Nethercutt Emergency Department at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, serving as a paramedic receiving facility for all patient populations and designated as a STEMI SRC, a Rape Treatment Center, and an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics.

Neuropsychiatric Nursing: Providing Compassionate Care for Mind and Body

Neuropsychiatric nurses at the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA Health provide compassionate and comprehensive care for both the mind and body. As a leading psychiatric and behavioral health hospital in the western United States, the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital offers opportunities to work with exceptional colleagues in patient care, research, and education.

The hospital features:

An inpatient Adult Medical/Geriatric Psychiatry Unit
An Acute ICU
A Substance Abuse Adult Psychiatry Unit
An Adolescent/Child Psychiatry Unit

Ambulatory/Transplant Nursing: Restoring Lives Through Specialized Expertise

Ambulatory and transplant nurses at UCLA Health play a vital role in restoring lives through specialized expertise. UCLA Health's transplant program is the largest in the world, known for taking on the most complex cases.

Opportunities include working in:

More than 100 different outpatient specialty clinics and nursing areas.
Adult heart and lung transplant programs.
Pediatric heart transplant programs.
Adult/pediatric liver and small bowel transplant programs.
Adult kidney and pancreas transplant programs.
Pediatric kidney transplant programs.
Bone marrow transplant programs.
Hand transplant programs.

UCLA Health also offers Operation Mend, a groundbreaking partnership providing advanced surgical, medical, and psychological support to post-9/11-era service members, veterans, and their families at no cost.

Other Nursing Services: Diverse Opportunities to Make a Difference

UCLA Health offers a wide array of other nursing services, allowing nurses to pursue their passions in specialized roles. Opportunities include:

Critical Care Transport Teams
Nursing Float/Resource Team
Interdisciplinary Clinical Systems Team (CST)

These teams contribute to positive patient outcomes and transform the patient experience.

RN - Blood and Platelet Center - Westwood

The Clinical Nurse is a Registered Nurse who assumes responsibility and accountability for a group of donors for a designated time frame and provides care to these donors by using the nursing process in accordance with the standards of professional nursing practice of State of California BRN. The clinical nurse performs in the professional role as described by the American Nurses Association (ANA); engaging in activities related to ethics, education, evidence-based practice and research, quality improvement, leadership, collaboration, professional practice evaluation, resources utilization, environmental health, and donor advocacy as appropriate to clinical nursing practice.

The primary responsibilities include collection of blood and blood components from allogeneic and autologous donors, assessing donor/patient eligibility according to defined criteria, perform automated and blood collections using apheresis equipment. Serve as charge nurse as assigned. Must be able to work weekends, holidays and flex to cover other shifts as needed.

Workplace Culture and Values

UCLA Health prides itself on a nurturing and inclusive environment that fosters growth and teamwork. Employees consistently express positive sentiments about the supportive management, diverse and inclusive atmosphere, and opportunities for professional development.

Key aspects of the UCLA Health workplace culture include:

A welcoming and friendly atmosphere
Supportive management
Growth potential and training opportunities
A diverse and inclusive environment
A commitment to teamwork and collaboration
A patient-first approach

Employment Scam Alert

UCLA Health has issued an alert regarding employment scams targeting job seekers through external job board sites. These scams may involve requests for 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 receiving an employment offer will undergo a formal recruitment process, including a virtual or in-person meeting with a UCLA Health employee or representative.

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