Graduate Nurse Rotational Program (February 2027 Cohort)

Ready to launch your nursing career with hands-on experience across multiple specialty areas?

The four-time ANCC Magnet-designated UPMC St. Margaret is currently hiring Graduate Nurses for our February 2027 Graduate Nurse Rotational Program Cohort .

This unique program is designed for new graduate nurses seeking broad clinical experience across multiple inpatient specialties before selecting a permanent specialty area. Participants will rotate through 4 inpatient units, spending approximately four weeks on each unit while working alongside experienced nurses, dedicated preceptors, and clinical mentors.

Important Eligibility Requirement:

This opportunity is intended for December 2026 nursing graduates and select August 2026 graduates who have delayed entering practice while awaiting licensure. Candidates must be eligible to start on February 8, 2027 with either a Temporary Practice Permit (TPP) or an active Registered Nurse (RN) license.

What Units Are Included in the Rotational Program?

4A Rehabilitation: A 28-bed acute rehabilitation unit providing comprehensive rehabilitation services to adult and geriatric patients recovering from illness, injury, surgery, and neurological conditions.

5A Oncology: A medical-surgical unit specializing in oncology, palliative care, and supportive services for patients receiving cancer treatment.

5B Pulmonary Medicine: A medical unit caring for adult and geriatric patients with pulmonary and respiratory conditions, including COPD, CHF, and other complex medical diagnoses.

6A General Surgery: A surgical unit focused on caring for pre- and post-operative patients, including general, vascular, thoracic, ENT, gynecologic, urologic, and plastic surgery populations.

At the completion of the program, participants may have the opportunity to transition into a permanent unit based on organizational needs, participant preference, and available openings.

Why Join the Program?

• Explore multiple nursing specialties before choosing a permanent path
• Build a broad clinical foundation across diverse patient populations
• Learn from experienced nurses and supportive leaders
• Gain confidence, independence, and versatility as a new nurse

Our nurses work rotating 12-hour shifts to provide 24/7 patient care coverage, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

The Professional Staff Nurse provides highly competent patient care while demonstrating compassion, professionalism, accountability, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Working collaboratively with physicians, interdisciplinary team members, patients, and families, nurses are empowered to deliver exceptional care and achieve positive patient outcomes.

As a nurse at UPMC, you will find:

• Competitive compensation, including one of the highest BSN differentials in the Greater Pittsburgh region
• Generous tuition assistance and educational benefits
• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement through the UPMC Nursing Career Ladder
• Access to leading clinicians, innovative technology, and a nationally recognized nursing culture

Graduate Nurses are encouraged to apply. Applicants must possess a Temporary Practice Permit (TPP) or RN license and be available to begin the program on February 8, 2027.

Responsibilities

• Applies basic nursing knowledge and skills within the framework of Relationship Based Care, using the nursing process to meet the clinical, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and family. Communicates effectively, both verbally and in documentation. Demonstrates critical thinking in the identification of clinical, social, safety, spiritual issues within the episode of care. Learns to incorporate national professional organization as well as business unit and health system's goals to improve patient safety, quality and satisfaction. Formulates a plan of care and daily goals that consider individual patient needs. Demonstrates initiative and seeks formal and informal opportunities to improve clinical practice. Seeks guidance and asks questions to continuously improve nursing practice. Creates a caring and compassionate patient-focused experience by building healing relationships with patient, families and colleagues. Identifies ethical situations within patient care or within the workplace and seeks assistance. Professionally accepts assignments that gradually increase patient load and complexity.
• Actively engages in clinical development and/or RN residency program for new hires. Requests opportunities to learn safe, accountable and autonomous practice from more experienced nurses. Seeks, accepts and utilizes performance feedback from peers, preceptors and unit/department Leaders as a learning opportunity and to improve practice. Demonstrates enthusiasm for continuous learning and identifies and creates a plan for the continuation of learning and development. Identifies patient and family needs for education and provides basic education to support the episode of care. Seeks professional development and involvement through membership in a professional nursing organization and/or reading professional literature on a regular basis.
• Demonstrates the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all members of the health care team. Begins to demonstrate awareness of cultural diversity, horizontal violence and impairment in the health professions. Cares for patients and self by supporting safety in the workplace.
• Demonstrates accountability for professional development that improves the quality of professional practice and the quality of patient care. Makes recommendations for the improvement of clinical care and the health of the workplace and welcomes and participates in change initiatives. Leads by investing and building healthy relationships among colleagues and other disciplines. Shows the ability to set priorities and demonstrates an understanding of shared governance and begins participating at the unit level. Begins to serve as an engaged member of a team supporting colleagues in service to patients and families and may participate in task forces or other initiatives.
• Demonstrates a basic knowledge of research, how it affects practice and who/what resources are available to assist with evidence based practice by asking questions, demonstrating interest, participating in unit-based journal clubs. Clinical practice demonstrates knowledge of how quality and innovation impacts patient satisfaction, safety, and clinical quality outcomes. Identifies opportunities for improvement on the clinical area.

The individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and/or interact appropriately to the ages of the patients served by his/her assigned unit as specified below. They must also demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs and to provide the care needs as described in the department policy and procedures. Zero to one year of experience. Completion of UPMC student nurse internship or student clinical transitions course at UPMC preferred BSN preferred. Ability to establish and maintain positive, caring relationships with executives, managers, physicians, non-physician providers, ancillary and support staff, other departments, and patients/families. Ability to work productively and effectively within a complex environment, handle multiple/changing priorities and specialized equipment. Critical thinking, analytical and problem solving abilities required as related to various aspects of patient care. Good clinical judgment. Critical thinking skills necessary to exercise and to lead others in application of the nursing process. Mobility and visual manual dexterity. Physical stamina for frequent walking, standing, lifting and positioning of patients.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

Current Pennsylvania licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire Must complete licensure examination within SIX MONTHS of hire or within one year of graduation, whichever comes first. Though temporary permits are valid for one year from the date of graduation, not one year from issue of permit (or until the results of the examination are known at which time it becomes null and void), UPMC requires that GNs take the licensure examination within 6 months of their start date or they will be terminated or demoted from the GN position, at the discretion of the BU.

• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Registered Nurse (RN) OR Temporary Practice Permit (TPP)
• Act 34

*Current licensure either in the state where the facility is located or, if the facility is in a state covered by the multistate Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) agreement, a multistate license issued by a participating NLC state. Hires and current employees working on an out-of-state NLC license who later change their residency to the state where the facility is also located will have 60 days upon changing their residency to apply for licensure within that state.

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran