Registered Nurse Jobs in District of Columbia
Registered Nurse jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in academic medical centers, federal health facilities, and specialty hospitals, with demand at every level from new graduates to clinical nurse leaders. Washington, DC is the primary hiring hub, anchored by institutions like MedStar Health, Children's National Hospital, and George Washington University Hospital, where critical care, oncology, and emergency nursing draw the most consistent openings. The market is among the most active in the region, shaped by a high concentration of research hospitals and a steady federal health presence. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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General Summary of Position
The Nurse Navigator (Perinatal) is responsible for the coordination of patient care across the continuum under the auspices of a provider's prescribed plan of care national guidelines and within the scope of nursing practice. The navigator educates/provides information and support to patients in order to guide and facilitate understanding of treatment plans prescribed by licensed independent practitioners and/or within scope of nursing practice. Oversees directs and provides holistic culturally competent and evidence-based nursing care. Monitors patient outcomes and participates in quality improvement activities. Contributes to and collaborates with health care team members to positively impact patient outcomes and patient experiences. The Nurse Navigator is recognized as a professional role model and clinical expert and promotes a professional environment that supports nursing excellence and collaborative shared decision-making.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
- Assessment: Obtains a baseline of information used for the development of the individualized plan of care.
- Plans: Works with an interdisciplinary team throughout the continuum of care to develop and manage the plan of care for the patient.
- Plans: Assists patient/family with scheduling ancillary testing and other services and presenting necessary history diagnostic/treatment studies and/or results etc. through the continuum of care.
- Plans: Assists at risk patients family and friends with risk assessment screening and education by working collaboratively with appropriate resources.
- Plans: Plans for continuing care such as but not limited to patient and community services community outreach resources home care palliative and hospice services as necessary.
- Patient Education: Provides initial and continuing education related to specific disease process associated treatment modality and agreed plan of care for patient and family.
- Patient Education: Available as a resource to assist in the provision of community education and outreach development.
- Implementation: Acts as a liaison between patients families the health care team community resources and other facilities to coordinate the provision of care.
- Implementation: Acts as a patient advocate to help identify and eliminate barriers to care.
- Implementation: Acts as a clearinghouse for incoming referral calls in an effort to streamline the delivery and coordination of care.
- Implementation: Ensures patients' referral process and transition into specialty services are timely and efficient anticipates patient and family needs throughout the continuum of care.
- Implementation: Explores and connects patients with appropriate resources health care and support services within MedStar Washington Hospital Center at other external facilities and in their communities for timely diagnosis treatment and survivorship.
- Takes action to support the National Patient Safety Goals nursing sensitive indicators regulatory requirements (i.e. DC Health TJC) and other identified quality metrics.
- Supports and promotes quality and patient safety initiatives. Collaborates with physicians and associates to monitor and analyzes departmental performance data and identifies and participates in hospital and/or unit-based performance improvement activities including but not limited to core measures nursing quality indicators and other patient care outcomes (e.g. Length of stay and patient satisfaction).*Delivers direct patient care as required.
- Evaluation: Monitors patient progress goal attainment and patient experience feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of care. Ensures plan of care changes are communicated to patient family and team.
- Possesses working knowledge of physician/health care team members' plan of care appropriate professional guidelines and standards of care. Contributes to development of internal clinical guidelines/pathways.
- Monitors patient outcomes and utilizes quality improvement activities and strategies that support quality patient care and optimizes outcomes in an interdisciplinary care environment and consistent with patient and family wishes.
- Demonstrates competencies including knowledge and behaviors to meet specific patient care requirements nursing practice standards and other regulatory or required knowledge and /or skills. Maintains current knowledge of clinical improvement strategies and outcomes management through self-study literature reviews site visits educational conferences and other forums.
- Maintains a working knowledge of available clinical trials that might be appropriate to the patient population. Collaborates with research coordinators and/or principle investigators to ensure adherence to research protocols.
- Promotes Pathway to Excellence standards through daily practice. Supports a professional atmosphere and an environment of coaching and development that supports shared decision making interdisciplinary collaboration and a high level of patient and employee satisfaction as evidenced by outcomes data.
Minimal Qualifications
Education
- Associate's degree in Nursing required
- Bachelor's degree in Nursing preferred
- For candidates hired with an Associate degree employment with MedStar Wahington Hospital Center is contingent upon enrollment into an accredited BSN program within one (1) year of employment and continuing matriculation in the program to achieve a BSN within 5 years of the program start date. Proof of enrollment to be submitted to Nurse Leader.
Experience
- 3-4 years of progressively more responsible clinical nursing experience in specialty area required
Licenses and Certifications
- RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in the District of Columbia required
- CPR - Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (includes BLS and NRP) for healthcare providers from either the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross within 90 Days required
- Additional unit/specialty certifications may vary by department or business unit.
- Professional certification in clinical area required within one year of hire if appropriate (OCN CCRN etc). within 1 Year required
Knowledge Skills and Abilities
- Able to work as a part of an interdisciplinary team through open frequent and skilled verbal and written communication. Must be flexible demonstrate problem solving skills proactively prioritize and demonstrates healthy coping mechanisms.
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Find Registered Nurse JobsRegistered Nurse Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Registered Nurse Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in registered nurse jobs across District of Columbia.
- Active District of Columbia RN license or compact license recognized by DC Board of Nursing
- Associate or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited program
- Current BLS certification required and ACLS preferred for most clinical settings
- Minimum one to two years of acute care or specialty nursing experience for most roles
- Strong documentation skills using electronic health record systems such as Epic or Cerner
- Ability to meet DC Health and Joint Commission compliance and patient safety standards
Registered Nurse Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a registered nurse in District of Columbia?
To become a registered nurse in District of Columbia, you must earn an Associate or Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and obtain licensure through the District of Columbia Board of Nursing. DC is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses licensed in other states must apply for a DC license by endorsement before practicing in the District.
How much do registered nurses make in District of Columbia?
Registered nurses in District of Columbia earn a median of about $102,540 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $79,390 for the lowest 10% to over $151,170 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire registered nurses in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring registered nurses in District of Columbia right now include American Traveler, The George Washington University Hospital, and Healogics, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. DC's concentration of academic medical centers, federal health agencies, and specialty hospitals means hiring is sustained year-round across a wide range of clinical specialties.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most registered nurse jobs?
Washington account for the most registered nurse openings in District of Columbia. Washington, DC dominates the distribution because it is home to the region's largest academic medical centers, federal health facilities, and specialty hospitals, while neighboring areas like Silver Spring and Alexandria generate additional openings tied to major health systems operating across the metro.
How can I get hired as a registered nurse in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a new graduate residency program, which MedStar Health, Children's National Hospital, and George Washington University Hospital all run for nurses without clinical experience. These structured programs provide mentorship and specialty exposure across units like med-surg and telemetry. Completing your BSN, obtaining your DC Board of Nursing license promptly after passing the NCLEX-RN, and gaining clinical hours through a DC-area practicum all strengthen your candidacy considerably.
Where can I find and apply to registered nurse jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to registered nurse jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across Washington, DC and the surrounding metro. Search for roles that match your specialty, experience level, and preferred setting, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 12 Registered Nurse Jobs in District of Columbia
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