OPT Nursing Jobs
Nursing is one of the most in-demand fields in the U.S., but F-1 OPT students face a specific challenge: most clinical roles require licensure, and licensing timelines don't always align with OPT start dates. Your 12-month OPT window, or 36 months on STEM OPT, works best when you plan licensure, employer sponsorship, and visa transition together from the start.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation:
Sioux Center, IA
Worker Type:
Regular
Work Shift:
Primarily days with possible weekends/evenings/holidays (United States of America)
Discover a Career of Faith and Healing: For over 70 years, Sioux Center Health has served patients with Jesus’ healing ministry. With eight locations located in Sioux Center, Iowa and surrounding communities, we take great pride in providing superior care in our state-of-the-art facilities.
A Career that You Will Love: There’s no other way to say it: You will love working here. Between our strong mission and our great people, we have nurtured a pretty exceptional culture at Sioux Center Health.
A Chance to Make a Difference: Working with us means making a real difference in the lives of our community members. Your talents and your passions are truly appreciated here. In addition to the service we provide, Sioux Center Health also supports our community with sponsored programs and events, and other volunteer work. If this is your passion, you need to consider joining our team driven to provide quality care and services within a caring Christian culture.
Position Highlights
At Sioux Center Health, our people are the heart of everything we do. Guided by a strong mission and a commitment to exceptional care, we've built a stable, thriving organization where employees make a meaningful difference. Our dedication to excellence is reflected in the recognition we have earned. Sioux Center Health has been named a Top Workplace in Iowa, received Best of the Northwest honors in 13 categories—including Best Place to Work—and earned a Five-Star Patient Survey Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We have also been recognized as a Chartis Top 100 Critical Access Hospital and Top Hospital in Iowa. Our Care Center has received the LeadingAge Excellence in Workplace Award, reflecting our commitment to creating a positive environment for both residents and employees. Beyond our organization, you'll find an outstanding community to call home. Sioux County was ranked #4 in the nation among the Healthiest Communities by U.S. News & World Report and CVS Health, reflecting the high quality of life and strong community values that make this region a great place to live, work, and grow.
Summary
The Clinical Nursing Educator embraces resident family centered care and models Sioux Center Health’s values of hospitality, compassion, respect & justice. They are responsible for assessing, planning, coordinating, teaching, and/or evaluating education and training programs for all team members.
General Hours of Work
Days/Evenings. Must be flexible to meet the needs of the Care Center.
Education and/or Experience
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing for licensed vocational practical nurse or registered nurse. Minimum of one year of experience in Long Term Care preferred.
Certificate, Licenses, Registrations
Current RN/LPN license in the State of Iowa. Must obtain CPR certification within 3 months of hire date.
Essential Functions
- Responsible to manage the orientation, staff development and ongoing professional development, education, and mentoring for new or current team members.
- May participate in coordinating orientation schedules with scheduler or CNA Coordinator.
- Provides feedback, coaching, and mentors designated audience; ensures orientation documentation processes are complete and filed; follows up at regular intervals to evaluate continued progress; and ongoing collaborates with managers and preceptors as to needs and concerns.
- Expected to continuously develop, monitor, and evaluate all programs related to orientation, professional development, education, and mentoring for quality improvement opportunities and other initiatives.
- Makes recommendations to the LTC Manager for policies and procedures that govern the day to day operations.
- Must be able to organize, plan, coordinate, and facilitate educational programs, utilize adult learning principles, use various teaching/learning methodologies and provide role modeling and leadership.
- Assists in the managerial responsibilities (training employees, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems).
- Strong Communication skills.
- Supervisory and leadership skills to develop/supervise staff in a team environment.
- Ability to make independent decisions and handle emergency situations with professionalism and efficiency.
- Additional projects as assigned by LTC Manager.
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Includes working the floor to cover open shifts and when short staffed.
Location:
Sioux Center, IA
Worker Type:
Regular
Work Shift:
Primarily days with possible weekends/evenings/holidays (United States of America)
Discover a Career of Faith and Healing: For over 70 years, Sioux Center Health has served patients with Jesus’ healing ministry. With eight locations located in Sioux Center, Iowa and surrounding communities, we take great pride in providing superior care in our state-of-the-art facilities.
A Career that You Will Love: There’s no other way to say it: You will love working here. Between our strong mission and our great people, we have nurtured a pretty exceptional culture at Sioux Center Health.
A Chance to Make a Difference: Working with us means making a real difference in the lives of our community members. Your talents and your passions are truly appreciated here. In addition to the service we provide, Sioux Center Health also supports our community with sponsored programs and events, and other volunteer work. If this is your passion, you need to consider joining our team driven to provide quality care and services within a caring Christian culture.
Position Highlights
At Sioux Center Health, our people are the heart of everything we do. Guided by a strong mission and a commitment to exceptional care, we've built a stable, thriving organization where employees make a meaningful difference. Our dedication to excellence is reflected in the recognition we have earned. Sioux Center Health has been named a Top Workplace in Iowa, received Best of the Northwest honors in 13 categories—including Best Place to Work—and earned a Five-Star Patient Survey Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We have also been recognized as a Chartis Top 100 Critical Access Hospital and Top Hospital in Iowa. Our Care Center has received the LeadingAge Excellence in Workplace Award, reflecting our commitment to creating a positive environment for both residents and employees. Beyond our organization, you'll find an outstanding community to call home. Sioux County was ranked #4 in the nation among the Healthiest Communities by U.S. News & World Report and CVS Health, reflecting the high quality of life and strong community values that make this region a great place to live, work, and grow.
Summary
The Clinical Nursing Educator embraces resident family centered care and models Sioux Center Health’s values of hospitality, compassion, respect & justice. They are responsible for assessing, planning, coordinating, teaching, and/or evaluating education and training programs for all team members.
General Hours of Work
Days/Evenings. Must be flexible to meet the needs of the Care Center.
Education and/or Experience
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing for licensed vocational practical nurse or registered nurse. Minimum of one year of experience in Long Term Care preferred.
Certificate, Licenses, Registrations
Current RN/LPN license in the State of Iowa. Must obtain CPR certification within 3 months of hire date.
Essential Functions
- Responsible to manage the orientation, staff development and ongoing professional development, education, and mentoring for new or current team members.
- May participate in coordinating orientation schedules with scheduler or CNA Coordinator.
- Provides feedback, coaching, and mentors designated audience; ensures orientation documentation processes are complete and filed; follows up at regular intervals to evaluate continued progress; and ongoing collaborates with managers and preceptors as to needs and concerns.
- Expected to continuously develop, monitor, and evaluate all programs related to orientation, professional development, education, and mentoring for quality improvement opportunities and other initiatives.
- Makes recommendations to the LTC Manager for policies and procedures that govern the day to day operations.
- Must be able to organize, plan, coordinate, and facilitate educational programs, utilize adult learning principles, use various teaching/learning methodologies and provide role modeling and leadership.
- Assists in the managerial responsibilities (training employees, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems).
- Strong Communication skills.
- Supervisory and leadership skills to develop/supervise staff in a team environment.
- Ability to make independent decisions and handle emergency situations with professionalism and efficiency.
- Additional projects as assigned by LTC Manager.
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Includes working the floor to cover open shifts and when short staffed.
See all 651+ OPT Nursing Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Nursing
Prioritize licensure before your OPT start date
Your NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN must be passed before most employers will place you in a clinical role. Apply for your state nursing license as early as possible so licensure delays don't eat into your authorized work period.
Target employers with established H-1B sponsorship history
Large hospital systems and academic medical centers, not small private practices, are most likely to sponsor H-1B visas. Look for employers who have filed H-1B petitions before, as first-time sponsors often underestimate the process and timeline involved.
Ask about sponsorship in the second interview, not the first
Raising visa sponsorship too early can end a conversation before it starts. Establish your clinical value and fit first, then discuss your authorization timeline once the employer has a clear reason to invest in you.
Understand which nursing roles qualify as specialty occupations
Not all nursing titles qualify for H-1B status. Advanced practice roles like nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, which require a master's degree, have stronger H-1B eligibility than standard RN positions, which USCIS has scrutinized historically.
Track your OPT end date and H-1B lottery deadlines together
H-1B registration opens in March for an October start. If your OPT expires before October and you miss the lottery, you may face a gap. Cap-exempt employers like nonprofits affiliated with universities offer an alternative path worth exploring early.
Use your clinical rotations to build employer relationships
Many nurses receive their first full-time offer from a facility where they completed a clinical placement. If your program allows, prioritize rotations at hospital systems known for sponsoring international staff, and make your interest in staying known proactively.
Nursing OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as registered nurses in the United States?
Yes, but you must hold a valid state nursing license before working in a clinical RN role. OPT authorizes you to work in your field of study, so your degree must align with nursing or a health science. Apply for state licensure through your state's Board of Nursing as early as possible, since processing can take several weeks and delays directly reduce your usable OPT window.
Does nursing qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Standard nursing programs, like BSN degrees, are not classified under STEM-designated CIP codes, so most RN graduates are not eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. However, some specialized nursing informatics, public health, or healthcare technology programs may qualify. Check with your designated school official to confirm whether your specific degree program carries a STEM-eligible CIP code before assuming you qualify.
What visa options are available after OPT for nurses?
The H-1B visa is the most common path, but only advanced practice nursing roles, such as nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist positions requiring a master's degree, have historically met USCIS specialty occupation standards. Standard RN roles have faced H-1B denials. EB-3 immigrant visa sponsorship is a more common long-term route for bedside nurses, but it requires employer commitment and can take several years to complete.
How do I find hospitals and health systems that sponsor OPT students for nursing roles?
Large academic medical centers and nonprofit hospital systems affiliated with universities are the most likely to have experience sponsoring international nursing staff. You can browse nursing roles from OPT-friendly employers directly on Migrate Mate, which filters for positions relevant to F-1 students. Targeting employers with prior H-1B or EB-3 filing history gives you the strongest chance of finding a sponsor willing to support your transition beyond OPT.
Can I work in travel nursing or per diem roles on OPT?
OPT requires that your work be directly related to your degree field, which travel and per diem nursing satisfies. However, self-employment is not permitted on OPT, so you must be employed by a staffing agency or hospital, not operating as an independent contractor. Additionally, some agencies are unfamiliar with OPT authorization requirements, so confirm upfront that the employer will properly verify your Employment Authorization Document and comply with I-9 requirements.