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 JobsINTRODUCTION
Your future role at a glance:
Location: Austin, TX
Facility: Seton Northwest
Department/Specialty: Med Surg
Schedule: Full-time | Night Shift 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
How you'll make an impact in this role:
- Care Planning: Implement and track customized, evidence-based patient care plans.
- Condition Monitoring: Record and communicate real-time clinical changes to the care team.
- Interdisciplinary Lead: Coordinate all disciplines to ensure seamless, holistic patient care.
- Order Execution: Precisely carry out physician and nursing directives with clinical accuracy.
- Transition Strategy: Manage discharge planning to ensure safe and successful patient transitions.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What minimum qualifications you'll need:
Licensure / Certification / Registration:
- BLS Provider obtained within 1 Month (30 days) of hire date or job transfer date required. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- Registered Nurse credentialed from the Texas Board of Nursing obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date required.
Education:
- Diploma from an accredited school/college of nursing OR Required professional licensure at time of hire.
LIFE AT ASCENSION
Where purpose meets opportunity:
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 97,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you’ll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
FRAUD PREVENTION NOTICE
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process. Our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-VERIFY STATEMENT
Employer does not participate in E-Verify and therefore cannot employ STEM OPT candidates.
BENEFITS
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Various health insurance options & wellness plans
- Retirement benefits including employer match plans
- Long-term & short-term disability
- Employee assistance programs (EAP)
- Parental leave & adoption assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Ways to give back to your community
Benefit options and eligibility vary by position. Compensation varies based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, performance, location and salary range at the time of the offer.
INTRODUCTION
Your future role at a glance:
Location: Austin, TX
Facility: Seton Northwest
Department/Specialty: Med Surg
Schedule: Full-time | Night Shift 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
How you'll make an impact in this role:
- Care Planning: Implement and track customized, evidence-based patient care plans.
- Condition Monitoring: Record and communicate real-time clinical changes to the care team.
- Interdisciplinary Lead: Coordinate all disciplines to ensure seamless, holistic patient care.
- Order Execution: Precisely carry out physician and nursing directives with clinical accuracy.
- Transition Strategy: Manage discharge planning to ensure safe and successful patient transitions.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What minimum qualifications you'll need:
Licensure / Certification / Registration:
- BLS Provider obtained within 1 Month (30 days) of hire date or job transfer date required. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
- Registered Nurse credentialed from the Texas Board of Nursing obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date required.
Education:
- Diploma from an accredited school/college of nursing OR Required professional licensure at time of hire.
LIFE AT ASCENSION
Where purpose meets opportunity:
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 97,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you’ll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.
FRAUD PREVENTION NOTICE
Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process. Our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.
E-VERIFY STATEMENT
Employer does not participate in E-Verify and therefore cannot employ STEM OPT candidates.
BENEFITS
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Various health insurance options & wellness plans
- Retirement benefits including employer match plans
- Long-term & short-term disability
- Employee assistance programs (EAP)
- Parental leave & adoption assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Ways to give back to your community
Benefit options and eligibility vary by position. Compensation varies based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, performance, location and salary range at the time of the offer.
See all 368+ OPT Registered Nurse Med Surg Jobs
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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.