Graduate Nurse Jobs in Tennessee
Graduate Nurse jobs in Tennessee are consistently in demand, with strong hiring concentrated in hospital systems, acute care facilities, and community health settings across Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville. Major employers with a lasting presence in the state include HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Ascension Saint Thomas, each running active new-graduate pipelines year-round. The most sought-after specialties for new graduates are medical-surgical, critical care, and emergency nursing. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Position: Registered Nurse (RN) - New Graduate
Location: Downtown Knoxville, TN
Schedule: 1900-0700
Compensation: New Competitive Rates
Sign-on bonus: $15,000
[Brand-Location] is a critical illness recovery hospital committed to providing world-class inpatient post-ICU services to chronic, critically ill patients who require extended healing and recovery. We help patients during some of the most vulnerable, painful moments of their lives – and Registered Nurses (RNs) play a central role in providing compassionate, excellent treatment every step of the way.
We support your career growth and personal well-being:
- Start Strong: Extensive 10- 13-week structured new graduate orientation program with a dedicated preceptor.
- Invest in Your Future: 100% company-paid scholarship (BSN), tuition reimbursement, and continuing education.
- Elevate Your Skills: Clinical ladder programs and certifications such as PCCN and CCRN.
- Ease the Burden: Student debt benefit program.
- Recharge & Refresh: Generous PTO for full-time team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance
- Your Health Matters: Comprehensive medical/RX, health, vision, and dental plan offerings for full-time team members
- Invest in Your Future: Company-matching 401(k) retirement plan, as well as life and disability protection for full-time team members
- Your Impact Matters: Join a team of over 44,000 committed to providing exceptional patient care
Applicants may apply before being licensed however must have license upon start date.
Responsibilities:- In collaboration with the physician and their preceptor, you will assure implementation of the assessment plan, evaluation, and follow-up of the plan of care for the patient population.
- Initiating an ongoing systematic assessment of the physical, emotional, social, educational and functional needs of the patients/families.
- Interpreting assessment data and information to develop a nursing care plan which contains problem identification, nursing diagnosis, nursing orders, approaches, interventions, short/long term goals and discharge planning.
- Participating as a productive member of the interdisciplinary team in assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of rehabilitation goals.
- Assuring that documents in the medical record are complete, factual, accurate and timely.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Graduate of accredited program for registered nursing.
- Valid State RN License required.
- BLS required at hire.
- Must have flexibility of scheduling to complete the requirements of the program
See All 22 Graduate Nurse Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Graduate Nurse JobsGraduate Nurse Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Graduate Nurse Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- West Tennessee Healthcare14

- Select Specialty Hospital3

- Erlanger1

- Ascension1

- Covenant Health1

What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in graduate nurse jobs across Tennessee.
- Active Tennessee RN license or eligibility to obtain one through the Tennessee Board of Nursing
- Graduation from an accredited associate or bachelor of science in nursing program
- Passing NCLEX-RN score or scheduled exam date within employer's onboarding window
- Basic Life Support certification from an accredited provider such as the American Heart Association
- Ability to work rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays
- Strong clinical documentation skills and familiarity with electronic health record systems
Graduate Nurse Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a graduate nurse in Tennessee?
To become a graduate nurse in Tennessee, you must graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN to obtain your registered nurse license through the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Tennessee participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses licensed in other compact states may practice in Tennessee without obtaining a separate state license. Most employers begin onboarding before your exam results are final, provided you have a scheduled test date.
Which companies hire graduate nurses in Tennessee?
Employers hiring graduate nurses in Tennessee right now include West Tennessee Healthcare, Select Specialty Hospital, and Erlanger, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Tennessee's large integrated health systems, particularly those anchored in Nashville and Memphis, tend to run structured new-graduate residency cohorts that open several times a year.
Which Tennessee cities have the most graduate nurse jobs?
The cities with the most graduate nurse openings in Tennessee are Jackson, Nashville, and Knoxville. Nashville leads because it serves as the headquarters for several major national hospital systems and hosts a dense concentration of academic medical centers, while Memphis and Knoxville draw volume from large regional health systems and university-affiliated hospitals that continuously recruit new graduates.
How can I get hired as a graduate nurse in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying directly to a nurse residency program, which is the standard hiring track for new graduates at large Tennessee health systems such as HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Ascension Saint Thomas. These residencies are cohort-based, paid, and designed for nurses with no prior RN experience. Candidates who complete a capstone or senior clinical rotation at a Tennessee facility often gain an advantage, and holding an active Tennessee RN license or compact license before the application deadline strengthens every application.
Where can I find and apply to graduate nurse jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to graduate nurse jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your specialty interest and preferred location, and apply directly to whichever listings fit your background and availability.
See All 22 Graduate Nurse Jobs in Tennessee
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