UVA Health External Traveler Conversion Program

External Traveler Conversion to Permanent Employment


We are very pleased you are part of the UVA Health team, and hope you will consider becoming a permanent member of our healthcare community located in what has been repeatedly voted one of the best places to live in the United States.

UVA Health offers an attractive conversion package for External Travelers who accept a permanent position that is not less than .50 FTE.

UVA Health permanent team members participate in health insurance, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, and an Education Benefits program designed to encourage career development and lifelong learning.

External Traveler Conversion Program Incentives:

Nursing Seal

  • Relocation Incentive: $5,000.
  • Housing Stipend: $5,000. Paid out over 6 months.
  • Sign-on Incentives in lump sum amounts specific to each position. Paid at time of hire and in exchange for a two-year service commitment.
  • Are pro-rated for permanent part-time positions not less than .50 FTE.

Registered Nurses – additional benefits and perks

  • Magnet recognized hospital
  • Daisy and Bee Recognition Programs
  • Clinical Career Ladder
  • Dedicated Charge Nurse Positions, Career Pathway tools and Leadership Development Programs
  • Shared Governance structure
  • Nursing Research Program and Quality Improvement Processes
  • Education assistance for eligible professional certification application
  • Annual certification bonus

Total Rewards

UVA provides Medical Center team members a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes compensation, rewards, benefits, wellness programs, learning opportunities, retirement options, and more. We provide permanent employees a personalize and convenient Total Rewards Dashboard in Workday with detailed information of their own Total Rewards package. Click this image to see a list of our rewards, and an example of the Total Rewards Dashboard.

Email Header for 2022 Total Reward Program
 

A Great Lifestyle

Living in or near Charlottesville has many advantages, as does working for Central Virginia's #1 employer.

  • Why Charlottesville?

    Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, residents enjoy endless natural beauty and outdoor activities, with the amenities and cultural attractions of a large metropolis in a smaller friendly city.

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  • Why UVA?

    When you join the University of Virginia, you join an institution known nationally and internationally for the excellence of its patient care, research, teaching, and public service. Every person here – health care professional, faculty, staff, student – helps to advance our world-class institution, encompassing a larger mission of discovery and service.

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  • Exceptional Benefits

    UVA provides an exceptionally robust benefits program to permanent employees. Ensure you and your family are well covered. After your start date, you may select health, dental, vision, and retirement benefits. We also provide a nationally recognized wellness program, education benefits, generous leave and time-off, and much more.

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Medical Center Units - A Range of Choices

We encourage our nurses to transfer to other units if they wish to make a change or learn new skills. UVA Medical Center has several units to choose from. 

  • 3 South Stem Cell

    The Inpatient Oncology unit located on 3 South, is a 28 bed adult acute care hematology/oncology unit as well as a 15-bed intermediate care (IMU) Stem Cell Transplant Unit (SCTU). Joining the Inpatient Oncology team gives new nurses the opportunity to train in both levels of care and gain deep knowledge of the care for the oncology patient. The nurse to patient ratio for 3 South is 1:4, while in SCTU it is 1:3 due to the higher level of care for both day shift and night shift. Both units also have a free-floating charge nurse on both shifts to serve as a resource and support. Additional training opportunities for the Inpatient Oncology unit include (but aren’t limited to): oncology specific education sessions led by our service line Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to augment the Nurse Residency Program, pre-paid online courses through the Oncology Nursing Society (including Chemotherapy Immunotherapy certificate course and Blood and Marrow Transplant), shadow experiences in several ancillary services throughout hospital, and Stem Cell Transplant/Cellular Therapy training. Our interdisciplinary team made of up nursing, physicians, pharmacy as well as several other auxiliary services, collaborates and works closely together daily to be able to provide evidence based and quality driven care.

  • 3 East Medicine

    3 East is a 26 bed General Medicine unit focused on the compassionate care of patients over age 65 with a variety of diagnosis including UTI, PNA, fracture hips, dementia, delirium, and others. The Geriatric patient population are appreciative of the nursing care they are provided and respectful of the staff that provide it. Palliative care patients are patients that are medically treated for the symptoms they are experiencing related to terminal illness and often at the end of life. Although, palliative care patients are cared for on other units throughout the health system 3 East staff are known for their expertise related to this patient population. The 3 East team has been provided with Geriatric nursing education through the Nurses Improving the Care for Health system elderly (NICHE) certification that UVA Health system holds. 3 East is integral part of the Medical Subspecialties Service line partnering with two other General Medicine Inpatient Acute Care units to optimize patient care through various “Be Safe” initiatives.

  • 3 Central Acute Care Medicine

    3 Central is a 27 bed unit general medicine unit with telemetry. Staff are equipped and trained to care for a great variety of disease processes involving the following systems: Respiratory, Renal, Diabetes, and Infectious Disease. 3 Central has much to offer in terms of career satisfaction. Strong teamwork, flexible schedules, and opportunities for advancement in leadership and clinical roles on the unit compliment the experience of working with an amazing variety of patient populations. Excellence in quality care is obtained by tracking process improvements in order to support our staff and patients. Our unit utilizes a daily management system to track CAUTIs, CLABSIs, HAPUs, falls, injuries, and more. The unit has a very strong unit based professional practice model which enacts changes to our work environment as needed. Many opportunities exist for active involvement in unit projects and initiatives. Our team members participate daily in multi-disciplinary teamwork and communication to achieve optional patient outcomes. Continuing education is emphasized and financially supported on the unit. Schedules are adjusted to accommodate. Work-life balance is emphasized on 3 Central. New staff receive orientation with experienced clinicians who are able to mentor and support as needed. Come join our winning team!

  • 3 West Medicine

    3 West is a 26 bed General Medicine Unit. Clinicians on 3 West enjoy caring for a variety of disease processes that involve the following systems: Respiratory, Endocrine, Cardiac, Immune/Infectious Disease, and Renal.

  • 5 South

    Whether you are just starting your career as a Registered Nurse here at UVA or have been in the healthcare field for a long time, choosing a position in the field of nursing is an important step in your professional development. We hope you consider a position with our team of caring and dedicated staff here on 5 South. Our unit receives patients from the Emergency Department, Medical ICU, clinics, outside hospitals, or nursing facilities. We see a wide range of medical diagnoses, from diabetes, sickle cell crisis, COPD exacerbations, ESRD with pulmonary hypertension, wounds, drains, tubes and everything in between. We strive every day to deliver safe, competent, and effective care to our patients while providing a welcoming learning environment and growth opportunities for all our team members. As we evolve and grow, the team members of 5 South work collectively to strive for and support our mission of providing exceptional, patient-centered, quality care through compassion and teamwork.

  • 4 East Acute Cardiology

    Acute Cardiology consists of 4 East, a 28 bed adult unit and 4 Central Cardiovascular, a 10 bed adult unit. Though designated acute care this unit is benchmarked as an intermediate care unit due to patient complexity. Patients admitted to Acute Cardiology present with chest pain, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, rhythm disturbance, heart failure/cardiomyopathy, etc. Nurses in this unit provide Pre & Post Procedural care for acute cardiology patients: cardiac catheterization (diagnostic & intervention w/ sheath pull), Electrophysiology (ablations, pacemaker insertions, ICD placement) and Angiography patients. Acute Cardiology is the destination for patients receiving minimalist valve procedures (such as TAVR). In addition, Acute Cardiology maintains Joint Commission Certification in the care of patients with Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support. 4 East is the only acute care unit that specializes in the care of patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices, and the treatment and management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. The typical nurse to patient ratio is 1:3-4.

  • 4 West Thoracic Cardiovascular Intermediate Care

    4 West is a 30 bed, all telemetry unit for post-operative cardiac and thoracic surgery patients. The unit consists of 18 acute care beds and 12 intermediate care beds (IMU) for those patients requiring a higher level of care between the ICU and acute care. The 4 West patient population consists of post-operative cardiac surgery patients: CARDIAC (CABG, heart valve replacements, heart transplants), THORACIC (lung wedge, lung resection, volume reduction, pneumonectomies, lung transplants, thymectomies), VASCULAR (carotid endarectomies, various reperfusion interventions to include TPA (tissue plasminogen activator “aka clot buster”)). Our nurses manage a high acuity patient population that sometimes will need intravenous medication such as Phenylephrine (Neosynephrine), Amiodarone, Cleviprex, Cardizem, Nicardipine, Argatroban, Bivalirudin, Dobutamine, Heparin, Dopamine, Insulin, Ketamine, Lidocaine, Milrinone, Nitroglycerin, and many others. 4 West is known for their clinical prowess and expertise in handling atrial fibrillation as well as clinically fragile patients.

  • 4 Central Abdominal Transplant Unit

    The Abdominal Transplant Unit cares for acute and intermediate patients pre, immediate and post-transplant event. The current 13-bed unit will be expanding to 28 beds and will be relocated into the newly built South Tower. The future plans are to expand the care provided to include intensive care for abdominal transplant patients. This unit has a robust, mature orientation plan and staff who are highly engaged, expert critical thinkers and motivated to excel.

  • Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU

    The 24 bed Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU (TCV ICU) serves patients who undergo cardiac, vascular, and thoracic surgical procedures. Patients include those who require Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (s), heart transplantation, lung transplantation, re-do sternotomy, as well as mini-sternotomy, Transaortic Valve Repair (TAVR) and endovascular procedures (TEVAR), esophagectomy, pneumonectomy, aortic aneurysm repair, and CABG/valve combination procedures. Nurses care for patients who require a variety of mechanical circulatory support devices, and TCV ICU is the only adult unit to care for patients who require ECMO. Patients are recovered in the TCV ICU postoperatively, where they stay for a minimum of 24 hours or longer, as needed to wean sedation, ventilatory support, and vasoactive infusions. We are a Center of Excellence for extracorporeal mechanical circulatory support (ECMO) and cardiac surgery advanced life support (CSU-ALS).

  • 5 Central Acute Care Medical-Surgical Unit

    5 Central is a 28 bed high-acuity, medical-surgical acute care unit specializing in post-operative care of patients undergoing Colorectal, hepatobiliary, general surgery utilizing Enhanced Recovery after Surgery pathways, as well as interventional procedures for hepatobiliary disease. Interprofessional management of inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and hepatobiliary disease rounds out the medical dimension of care. All rooms are capable of cardiac monitoring and capnography monitoring. Registered Nurses provide care using a typical nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:4 or 1:5 with free-floating charge RN. Clinical outcomes exceed national benchmarks and we take great pride in excellent nursing care. 5 Central nurses advance on the clinical career ladder and take advantage of opportunities to support nursing students in clinical experiences, participate in quality improvement projects, and practice in a healthy work environment.

  • 5 West Surgical Subspecialty and Trauma Unit

    5 West is a 26 bed adult acute care unit that specializes in care of surgical subspecialty and trauma patients. Typical surgeries patients undergo may include: Whipple, liver resection, bariatric (gastric sleeve and bypass), bowel resection, and emergency general surgery, among many others. As the preferred destination for post op bariatric patients, 5 West maintains Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation as a Quality Program Center of Excellence. Trauma patients arrive from multiple localities for various injuries including fractures and blunt force internal injuries which may require surgical intervention or cervical/spinal braces. Nurses on 5 West complete annual trauma education to uphold national designation as a level 1 trauma center. The unit is capable of telemetry monitoring for non- acute cardiac events. The patient to nurse ratios are 1:4-5 utilizing a free charge RN model. The unit is well equipped with an array of support services for the team and patients. 5 West is fast paced, team centered and solution oriented.

  • 5 North Surgical Intermediate Care Unit

    The Surgical Intermediate Care Unit is a fast-paced 12-bed unit providing intermediate care to a variety of adult patient populations. Patients admitted to the SIMU have undergone complex surgical procedures, have traumatic injuries from a variety of mechanisms, and/or require frequent interventions and monitoring. With typical 1:3 nurse to patient rations, the SIMU nurses work with the interprofessional team to assess, plan, and implement care. Nurses in the SIMU care for patients receiving high risk medications, including medications for conscious sedation for complex procedures both on the unit and in procedural areas.

  • STICU Surgical/Trauma ICU

    The Surgical/Trauma ICU is a fast-paced 15-bed intensive care unit in a level 1 facility comprised of surgical and trauma adult critical care patients. The surgical critical care team manages post-operative patients having undergone emergency or highly complex surgical procedures and now requiring continuous, intensive monitoring and interventions. The trauma critical care team manages patients with traumatic injuries from many different mechanisms. Many patients in the STICU have multi-system conditions requiring our critical care nurses to be highly competent and skilled in assessing and managing care while maintaining a high level of compassion. Typical nurse to patient ratios are 1:2 with changes based on patient acuity.

  • 6 East Orthopedics

    6 East is a 30 bed primary orthopedic unit specializing in total joint replacements, surgical spine interventions and ortho/trauma patient populations. We also have a small population of urology and plastic surgery patients. 6 East obtained and have maintained Joint Commission certification for the Total Joint Replacement program since 2013 and the International Geriatric Fracture Core Certification since 2016. 6 East is a high volume medical-surgical unit, which focuses on quality improvement initiatives, professional development and fostering an environment of teamwork and inclusivity. The usual nurse to patient ratio is 1:4. 6 East beds are capable of cardiac monitoring, and end tidal CO2 and pulse oximetry.

  • 6 Central Acute Neuroscience, Epilepsy and Stroke

    6 Central is a 26 bed neuroscience unit which includes a Continuous Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and the Stroke Units. On 6 Central, neuroscience nurses collaboratively work with other healthcare team members to organize, oversee and provide well rounded evidence based care to patients with acute and/or chronic neurological conditions such as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, epilepsy with continuous electrode epilepsy monitoring or intracranial depth electrode epilepsy monitoring, neurodegenerative diseases, neuromuscular diseases and various other neurological diagnoses. With specific Neuro Core Curriculum classes built in to the 6 Central RN Orientation, we strive to promote fundamental neuroscience nursing education that will be applied at the bedside. Despite having this specific population as the majority, 6 Central often welcomes a wide variety of other specialties (i.e. trauma surgery, GYN, Hematology/Oncology and General Medicine, etc.) that may need to board on our unit.

  • 6 West Neurosurgery and Head and Neck Cancer

    We are primarily home to two services: Neurosurgery and Head and Neck Cancer. We also care for numerous general medical-surgical patients with a wide array of diagnoses. Our adult neuroscience and otolaryngology patient populations include diagnoses and surgeries for brain tumors, back and neck spinal issues, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple trauma, functional neurosurgery, pituitary tumors, craniofacial surgery, laryngectomy, radical neck dissection, parotidectomy, and tracheostomy. We provide a Neuro Core Curriculum (7 week course, 4 hours/week with CEU credit) and Nursing Rounds each week with an ACNP. Our unit motto is: Teamwork/Compassion/Excellence/Everyday!

  • 6 North Neuro Intermediate Unit

    6 North is a 12 bed Neuro Intermediate Unit that specializes in providing a unique level of care to patients who have experienced neuro trauma, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, head and neck cancer tumor resection and flap reconstruction, spinal surgery, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and a wide range of neurological or neuromuscular problems. Nurses in this practice area provide highly skilled care in a fast past and high acuity intermediate setting. The usual nurse to patient ratio is 1:3. UVA is a Joint Commission designated Comprehensive Stroke Center and our Neurology and Neurosurgery services are ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation.

  • Neuro ICU (NNICU)

    The Neuro ICU is a 12-bed specialized critical care unit providing intensive management to patients with life-threatening neurological and neurosurgical conditions. Nurses in this practice area provide highly skilled care to patients who have experienced central nervous system tumors, complex spine surgery, acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, endovascular interventions, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, neuromuscular diseases, status epilepticus, and central nervous system infections. The usual nurse to patient ratio is 1:2 with occasional 1:1 care required. UVA is a Joint Commission designated Comprehensive Stroke Center and our Neurology and Neurosurgery services are ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation.

  • Staffing Resource Office

    Staffing Resources Office: (Intensive Care Unit Float Pool/Acute Care Float Pool) SRO: A highly versatile group of nurses that are trained to support staffing in many areas of the organization. These nurses develop or maintain a large variety of nursing knowledge, and support flexible staffing needs for the organization while in a wage, part-time, or full-time position. This teamwork oriented group supports others, and maintains a broad range of skills for the variety of nursing needs within the organization while being compensated higher for this skill. This is a department that embraces the broad knowledgebase that travelers come in with utilizing your wide-ranging skills set, while also supporting the development of the nurse in areas such as advanced skills, precepting, and charge. The intensive care unit float pool supports the critical care and intermediate units. The acute care float pool supports the acute care units with the ability to train to intermediate units. There is also a pediatric and women’s float pool if one has expertise in the areas. All float pools support the emergency department at varying levels.

  • Emergency Department

    The University of Virginia Health Emergency Department is an 82-bed ED in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia. The UVA ED is a Level 1 Trauma Center, a Comprehensive Stroke Center and a Regional Referral Center for all of the needs of Central Virginia and the surrounding region. This 7-pod unit boasts a complement of RNs, ED Techs and Medics who care for approximately 200 patients a day on average. Six of these pods care for adults, and the seventh pod cares for pediatric patients. The UVA ED has three adult trauma bays, and one pediatric trauma bay. Come join our team!

  • Medical ICU (MICU)

    The Medical ICU is a 28-bed adult ICU that provides comprehensive interdisciplinary care to critically ill and special pathogens patients. Nurse to patient ratios are acuity based and typically 1:1 or 1:2. With a unit of nearly 100 nurses with over 750 years of combined experience, we promote a supportive intraprofessional team environment with a dedicated patient-centric approach. Our team cares for complex and critically ill adult patients with a variety of acute and chronic illnesses and diseases involving all systems with common focus in pulmonology, hematology, gastroenterology, nephrology, psychology, infectious disease, and palliative care. Nurses require skilled knowledge related to ventilators of vasopressors, cardiac telemetry, hemodynamic monitoring and desire to support safety and quality care initiatives in a fast paced critical care setting.