RN Clinical Nurse IV - 5 HV Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care (CSICU)

Clinical Nurse IV Team Lead 5 HV Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CSICU)

Full-Time | Night Shift | UNC Health REX

Are you an experienced critical care nurse ready to take the next step in your nursing career? UNC Health REX is seeking a Clinical Nurse IV Team Lead to join our 5 HV Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CSICU), located within the Heart and Vascular Hospital.

Our 10-bed CSICU provides highly specialized care to complex cardiovascular and surgical patients requiring intensive monitoring and advanced critical care interventions. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced nurse who is passionate about cardiovascular critical care, clinical leadership, mentorship, and advancing nursing practice.

As a Clinical Nurse IV Team Lead, you'll serve as an experienced clinical resource and role model for the team while helping promote exceptional patient care, staff development, and a culture of collaboration and accountability.

The 5 HV Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit specializes in caring for patients requiring:

• Postoperative cardiothoracic surgery recovery
• Complex vascular surgery recovery
• Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
• Advanced hemodynamic monitoring
• Mechanical circulatory support
• High-acuity cardiovascular critical care
• Intensive care interventions for critically ill surgical patients

Our patients range from young adults to geriatric patients and often require complex, highly specialized care throughout their critical illness and recovery.

Care is delivered through a collaborative interdisciplinary team that includes Clinical Nurses, physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, perfusionists, care managers, chaplains, patient care technicians, and other specialized cardiovascular care professionals.

The Clinical Nurse IV Team Lead is a key clinical leader within the CSICU, providing advanced nursing care while supporting the team, coordinating patient care, and promoting professional nursing practice.

This role is ideal for an experienced critical care nurse who is ready to lead by example, mentor others, support complex clinical decision-making, and help drive positive outcomes for patients and staff.

As a Clinical Nurse IV Team Lead, you will:

• Provide expert, evidence-based nursing care to complex cardiovascular and surgical patients
• Serve as a clinical resource, mentor, and role model for nursing staff
• Serve as Charge Nurse, coordinating daily unit operations, assignments, patient flow, and patient safety
• Support nurses managing complex cardiovascular and critical care patients
• Assist staff with clinical prioritization, critical thinking, and escalation of care
• Recognize and respond to changes in patient condition and facilitate appropriate interventions
• Support care of patients requiring advanced therapies, including ECMO and mechanical circulatory support
• Precept, mentor, and support nurses throughout their professional development
• Promote safe, evidence-based nursing practice and adherence to clinical standards
• Collaborate with physicians, APPs, respiratory therapists, perfusionists, pharmacists, and other interdisciplinary team members
• Promote effective communication, teamwork, and accountability across the care team
• Support a positive, professional, and collaborative unit culture

In addition to providing direct patient care, you will help advance nursing practice and support unit-based initiatives through:

• Participation in shared governance and unit/hospital committees
• Leadership and participation in quality and performance improvement initiatives
• Supporting unit-based education, competencies, and staff development
• Mentoring and coaching nursing staff
• Promoting patient experience and service excellence
• Supporting evidence-based practice and patient safety initiatives
• Partnering with nursing leadership to identify opportunities for improvement
• Helping foster staff engagement, professional growth, and retention
• Promoting a culture of continuous learning and clinical excellence

What you'll love about working here:

• A supportive, team-oriented culture focused on collaboration and mentorship
• The opportunity to care for a high-acuity cardiovascular surgical patient population
• Exposure to advanced critical care technologies and therapies
• Opportunities to develop expertise in ECMO, mechanical circulatory support, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring
• Strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, patient safety, and quality improvement
• Daily collaboration with experienced cardiovascular and critical care clinicians
• A state-of-the-art Heart and Vascular Hospital
• Opportunities for professional development, clinical advancement, and specialty certification

We're looking for an experienced critical care nurse who demonstrates strong clinical judgment, leadership skills, and a commitment to exceptional patient care.

Preferred qualifications:

• 25 years of nursing experience, preferably in ICU, CVICU, Surgical ICU, or another high-acuity critical care setting
• Previous charge nurse and/or nursing leadership experience
• Strong cardiovascular assessment and critical care clinical judgment
• Experience caring for postoperative cardiothoracic or vascular surgery patients
• Experience or exposure to ECMO, mechanical circulatory support, ventilator management, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and support fellow nurses
• Excellent communication and interdisciplinary collaboration skills
• Commitment to evidence-based practice, patient safety, and professional development

Incentives available:

• Up to $20,000 commitment incentive, based on eligibility
• Up to $25,000 in tuition loan forgiveness, based on eligibility
• Up to $10,000 in relocation assistance, based on location
• Employee referral program

If you're ready to use your critical care expertise to lead, mentor, and elevate cardiovascular surgical patient care, we invite you to join the 5 HV CSICU team.

Join a team where your experience and leadership can make a meaningful differencenot only for your patients, but for the nurses you work alongside every night.

Apply today and take the next step in your critical care leadership career!

Your passion belongs at UNC Health. Join more than 56,000 teammates working together to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve across North Carolina.