OPT Registered Nurse Med Surg Jobs
Registered Nurse Med Surg jobs on OPT require NCLEX-RN licensure and active work authorization. Most hospital systems will sponsor H-1B visa after OPT, but your 12-month standard period is tight given licensing timelines. STEM extension does not apply to nursing, so planning ahead matters.
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Get Access To All JobsLocation Address:
2100 N Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Clovis, NM 88101-9412
Compensation Pay Range:
Minimum Offer $39.69 Maximum Offer $58.17
Summary
As an Inpatient Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse, you will utilize the nursing process to provide direct, compassionate care to assigned patients during each shift. This role is responsible for prioritizing patient care, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and delivering high-quality, evidence-based care while utilizing resources efficiently and adhering to established clinical standards.
$17,500 Sign On Bonus for qualified candidates.
How you grow, learn and thrive matters here.
- Educational and career development options, including tuition and certification reimbursement, scholarship opportunities
- Staff Safety (a wearable badge that allows nurses to quickly and discreetly call for help when safety is a concern)
- Differentials for night/weekend shifts, higher education, certifications and various lead roles (for eligible positions)
- Malpractice liability insurance
- Loan forgiveness through the New Mexico Higher Education Department
- EPIC electronic charting system
Type of Opportunity: Full time
FTE: 0.90
Job Exempt: No
Work Shift: 12 Hour Nights (United States of America)
Responsibilities:
Regional Plains Medical Center is seeking compassionate, adaptable, and team-oriented Registered Nurses to join our Medical-Surgical Unit.
- Acts as a clinical resource by coordinating and prioritizing patient care, delegating assignments to support staff based on patient acuity, care needs, and staff competency.
- Maintains clinical competency in delivering direct patient care, evaluating patient outcomes, and adjusting care plans as needed to promote optimal recovery and patient safety.
- Coordinates patient care through collaboration with patients, families, physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams to ensure continuity of care and effective discharge planning.
- Provides compassionate, patient-centered care while supporting patients and families throughout hospitalization, treatment, and recovery.
- Ensures patients and families understand their rights, responsibilities, treatment plans, advanced directives, and informed consent.
- Assesses patient and family educational needs and provides instruction on diagnoses, medications, treatments, discharge care, and disease management using appropriate teaching methods.
- Maintains professional knowledge of current nursing practices, evidence-based standards, clinical protocols, and hospital policies to support quality patient outcomes.
- Demonstrates proficiency in the safe use of medical equipment and technology utilized in the medical-surgical setting.
- Communicates effectively with nursing staff, providers, and interdisciplinary teams while actively contributing to problem-solving, care coordination, and a collaborative work environment.
Qualifications
- Minimum Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) required.
- Current New Mexico Board of Nursing Registered Nurse license or valid compact state nursing license required.
- BLS (Basic Life Support) certification required.
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) certification preferred or required within designated timeframe based on unit needs.
- Previous medical-surgical nursing experience preferred.
We're all about well-being, starting with yours.
Presbyterian employees have access to a fun, engaging and unique wellness program, including free on-site and community-based gyms, nutrition coaching and classes, mindfulness and meditation resources, wellness challenges and more.
Learn more about our employee benefits.
About Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Presbyterian exists to improve the health of patients, members, and the communities we serve. We are locally owned, not-for-profit healthcare system of nine hospitals, a statewide health plan and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Founded in New Mexico in 1908, we are the state's largest private employer with nearly 14,000 employees - including more than 1600 providers and nearly 4,700 nurses.
Our health plan serves more than 580,000 members statewide and offers Medicare Advantage, Medicaid (Centennial Care) and Commercial health plans.
AA/EOE/VET/DISABLED. PHS is a drug-free and tobacco-free employer with smoke free campuses.
Compensation Disclaimer
The compensation range for this role takes into account a wide range of factors, including but not limited to experience and training, internal equity, and other business and organizational needs.
We're Determined to Support New Mexico's Well-Being | Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Location Address:
2100 N Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Clovis, NM 88101-9412
Compensation Pay Range:
Minimum Offer $39.69 Maximum Offer $58.17
Summary
As an Inpatient Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse, you will utilize the nursing process to provide direct, compassionate care to assigned patients during each shift. This role is responsible for prioritizing patient care, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and delivering high-quality, evidence-based care while utilizing resources efficiently and adhering to established clinical standards.
$17,500 Sign On Bonus for qualified candidates.
How you grow, learn and thrive matters here.
- Educational and career development options, including tuition and certification reimbursement, scholarship opportunities
- Staff Safety (a wearable badge that allows nurses to quickly and discreetly call for help when safety is a concern)
- Differentials for night/weekend shifts, higher education, certifications and various lead roles (for eligible positions)
- Malpractice liability insurance
- Loan forgiveness through the New Mexico Higher Education Department
- EPIC electronic charting system
Type of Opportunity: Full time
FTE: 0.90
Job Exempt: No
Work Shift: 12 Hour Nights (United States of America)
Responsibilities:
Regional Plains Medical Center is seeking compassionate, adaptable, and team-oriented Registered Nurses to join our Medical-Surgical Unit.
- Acts as a clinical resource by coordinating and prioritizing patient care, delegating assignments to support staff based on patient acuity, care needs, and staff competency.
- Maintains clinical competency in delivering direct patient care, evaluating patient outcomes, and adjusting care plans as needed to promote optimal recovery and patient safety.
- Coordinates patient care through collaboration with patients, families, physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams to ensure continuity of care and effective discharge planning.
- Provides compassionate, patient-centered care while supporting patients and families throughout hospitalization, treatment, and recovery.
- Ensures patients and families understand their rights, responsibilities, treatment plans, advanced directives, and informed consent.
- Assesses patient and family educational needs and provides instruction on diagnoses, medications, treatments, discharge care, and disease management using appropriate teaching methods.
- Maintains professional knowledge of current nursing practices, evidence-based standards, clinical protocols, and hospital policies to support quality patient outcomes.
- Demonstrates proficiency in the safe use of medical equipment and technology utilized in the medical-surgical setting.
- Communicates effectively with nursing staff, providers, and interdisciplinary teams while actively contributing to problem-solving, care coordination, and a collaborative work environment.
Qualifications
- Minimum Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) required.
- Current New Mexico Board of Nursing Registered Nurse license or valid compact state nursing license required.
- BLS (Basic Life Support) certification required.
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) certification preferred or required within designated timeframe based on unit needs.
- Previous medical-surgical nursing experience preferred.
We're all about well-being, starting with yours.
Presbyterian employees have access to a fun, engaging and unique wellness program, including free on-site and community-based gyms, nutrition coaching and classes, mindfulness and meditation resources, wellness challenges and more.
Learn more about our employee benefits.
About Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Presbyterian exists to improve the health of patients, members, and the communities we serve. We are locally owned, not-for-profit healthcare system of nine hospitals, a statewide health plan and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Founded in New Mexico in 1908, we are the state's largest private employer with nearly 14,000 employees - including more than 1600 providers and nearly 4,700 nurses.
Our health plan serves more than 580,000 members statewide and offers Medicare Advantage, Medicaid (Centennial Care) and Commercial health plans.
AA/EOE/VET/DISABLED. PHS is a drug-free and tobacco-free employer with smoke free campuses.
Compensation Disclaimer
The compensation range for this role takes into account a wide range of factors, including but not limited to experience and training, internal equity, and other business and organizational needs.
We're Determined to Support New Mexico's Well-Being | Presbyterian Healthcare Services
See all 308+ OPT Registered Nurse Med Surg Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Registered Nurse Med Surg Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Registered Nurse Med Surg
Get your state license before OPT starts
NCLEX-RN results and state board processing can take six to ten weeks. Apply for licensure the moment your program ends so you're eligible to work from day one of your OPT authorization period.
Target hospital systems with H-1B track records
Large health systems like HCA, Ascension, and academic medical centers file H-1B visa petitions regularly for nurses. Smaller community hospitals often lack the legal infrastructure to sponsor, so prioritize employers with established immigration programs.
Ask about sponsorship timelines before accepting an offer
Med Surg nursing is cap-subject H-1B territory. You need an employer willing to file in April for an October start. Confirm sponsorship willingness and internal timelines during the offer stage, not after you've signed.
Document clinical hours from your nursing program
Immigration attorneys building your H-1B petition will need evidence that your degree qualifies as a specialty occupation. Organized transcripts, clinical rotation records, and degree documentation speed up the petition process significantly.
Understand that nursing is cap-subject with no STEM extension
Nursing degrees are not on the STEM OPT extension list, giving you 12 months total. Factor this into your job search timeline. If you miss the April H-1B filing window, your options narrow considerably before status expires.
Connect with hospital HR contacts directly, not just recruiters
Staffing agency recruiters rarely handle visa sponsorship and often cannot answer immigration questions accurately. Reach HR departments at target hospitals directly to confirm their sponsorship policies before investing time in an application.
Registered Nurse Med Surg OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Registered Nurse on OPT without a Social Security Number?
You need a Social Security Number to receive wages legally, but you can apply for your SSN after arriving and accepting a job offer. Most state nursing boards also require an SSN to issue your RN license. Apply as soon as you have an employment verification letter from your employer so there's no gap between your start date and your first paycheck.
Does Med Surg nursing qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension?
No. Registered Nursing is classified under CIP code 51.3801, which is not on the STEM designated degree program list. This means F-1 OPT students working in Med Surg nursing receive only the standard 12-month authorization period. Planning your H-1B filing timeline from the start of OPT is essential given this constraint.
How do I find Med Surg nursing employers who sponsor OPT and H-1B?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters jobs by sponsorship willingness, so you're not guessing which employers will support your visa status. Large hospital networks and academic medical centers are the most consistent H-1B sponsors in nursing. Filtering by employer size and system affiliation on Migrate Mate helps narrow your search to realistic sponsorship candidates.
What happens if my NCLEX results are delayed and I can't start work before my OPT authorization begins?
Your OPT period runs from the start date on your EAD card regardless of when you begin working. Days unemployed count against your 90-day unemployment limit. Apply for your NCLEX exam and state license as early as your program allows. Some states offer temporary permits that let you work under supervision while your full license is being processed, which can protect your OPT timeline.
Is Registered Nurse considered a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Registered Nursing can qualify as a specialty occupation, but it requires careful documentation because not all RN roles are treated identically by USCIS. Med Surg positions at acute care hospitals, where a BSN or higher is a standard employer requirement, have a stronger foundation for approval than roles where an associate degree is accepted. Having a BSN from your U.S. nursing program strengthens the petition significantly.