Registered Nurse (RN) - Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU (TCV ICU)

Join UVA Health's Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU and practice at the sharp edge of cardiovascular critical care, where expert nursing, advanced therapies, and life-changing surgical recovery come together. This is an opportunity for an experienced RN to grow into a highly skilled cardiovascular critical care clinician while caring for some of the most complex patients in the health system.

In the TCV ICU, you will support adults recovering from complex cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery, including CABG, valve repair and replacement, heart and lung transplantation, esophagectomies, aortic dissections, aneurysm repairs, and advanced mechanical circulatory support. This is a high-acuity, fast-paced environment where clinical judgment, teamwork, adaptability, and compassionate communication are essential to exceptional patient and family care.

The Role

As a Registered Nurse in the Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU, you will provide comprehensive critical care for patients whose conditions can change quickly and require highly coordinated, evidence-based intervention. You will work closely with surgeons, intensivists, APPs, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and other disciplines to develop individualized plans of care for critically ill patients and their families.

In an average shift, you may:

• Manage patients recovering from complex cardiac, thoracic, vascular, and transplant procedures

• Provide care for patients requiring ECMO, temporary and durable ventricular assist devices, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, vasoactive infusions, and advanced respiratory support

• Continuously assess patient status, recognize subtle changes, and respond with strong clinical decision-making

• Partner with the interdisciplinary team to support early mobility, ICU liberation, care coordination, patient education, and family communication

• Build expertise over time through structured learning, mentorship, and exposure to progressively complex patient pathways

This role is best suited for a nurse who is naturally curious, calm under pressure, and motivated by continuous growth. The learning curve is meaningful, even for experienced ICU nurses, and nurses should expect to continue developing confidence and expertise well beyond orientation. Success here means becoming part of a team that values accountability, professionalism, compassion, open communication, and clinical excellence.

Why UVA Health

UVA Health offers the depth of an academic medical center with the support of a collaborative nursing culture. As part of an integrated academic health system aligned with the University of Virginia, UVA Health provides opportunities to practice in an environment shaped by teaching, research, innovation, and complex specialty care.

In the Thoracic Cardiovascular ICU, you will be part of a unit that has expanded to support the growth of the Heart and Vascular service line and continues to advance care for high-acuity surgical, transplant, and mechanical circulatory support patients. The unit has earned recognition as both an ECMO Center of Excellence and a CSU-ALS Center of Excellence, reflecting specialized expertise in extracorporeal life support and cardiac surgery emergency management.

This opportunity offers:

• Care for one of the highest-acuity cardiovascular, thoracic, vascular, and transplant patient populations in the health system

• Hands-on exposure to advanced therapies, mechanical circulatory support, complex hemodynamic monitoring, and cutting-edge cardiovascular critical care

• A collaborative interdisciplinary team focused on patient safety, evidence-based practice, innovation, and exceptional outcomes

• Comprehensive orientation, mentorship, and ongoing development toward CSU-ALS and ECMO training

• Opportunities for specialty certification, clinical ladder advancement, charge nurse development, and leadership growth

• A culture that supports continued learning, professional growth, teamwork, and well-being in emotionally demanding work

• Continued program growth, including expansion of advanced cardiac services, transplant and mechanical circulatory support programs, and the planned launch of a robotic cardiac surgery program

Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

At UVA Health, nurses are part of a Magnet-recognized environment that supports professional governance, nursing advancement, quality improvement, and clinical excellence. For nurses who want to become true experts in cardiovascular critical care, this is a place to build mastery, contribute meaningfully, and grow within a nationally respected academic health system.

Why People Love Living in Charlottesville

Charlottesville offers a rare combination of professional opportunity and quality of life. Nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains, it provides easy access to hiking, vineyards, local restaurants, music, arts, history, and a vibrant university community. Healthcare professionals and their families appreciate the balance of an engaging small-city lifestyle with outdoor recreation, cultural depth, and a strong sense of community. For nurses doing intense and meaningful ICU work, Charlottesville offers space to recharge, connect, and build a life outside the hospital.