Nurse Residency Program: East Hawai'i Health Clinics (Graduate Nurse I/II)

Job Description

Join East Hawai'i Health Clinics and be part of a team that proudly cares for our friends, family, and neighbors across East Hawaii. 

Job Description

Ready to launch your nursing career in a supportive, hands-on environment? The Nurse Residency Program is designed specifically for new nursing graduates and nurses who are just starting their careers and ready to sit for their NCLEX RN Exam. Through this program, Graduate Nurses receive structured training, mentorship, and real-world experience as they transition into professional practice. Graduate Nurses work alongside experienced preceptors while building the skills and confidence needed to thrive in a healthcare setting. The program includes learning the role of a Nurse Aide before transitioning into providing nursing care as a Registered Professional Nurse II.

The Nurse Residency Program offers opportunities throughout the East Hawaii Region, including the following:

• Hilo Benioff Medical Center's Acute Nursing (90% FTE)
• Hilo Benioff Medical Center’s Intermediate/Extended Care (long-term care, 100% FTE)
• Honoka’a Hospital (long-term care, 90% FTE)
• Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home (long-term care, 100% FTE)

If you’re interested in additional Nurse Residency Program opportunities, please visit www.hbmc.org/careers. To be considered, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to apply for.

Applications for this year’s Nurse Residency Program close on April 17, 2026. All application materials (including pre-employment assessments) must be submitted by this time.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact HR Specialist Chelsea Villeza, CVilleza@hhsc.org.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide direct patient care and assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, feeding, mobility, and transfers.
• Monitor, measure, and accurately document vital signs, intake/output, patient observations, and report changes in condition to licensed nursing staff.
• Assist with routine clinical procedures and treatments under the direction of licensed personnel, including specimen collection, oxygen application, enemas, and range-of-motion exercises.
• Support patient comfort, safety, and well-being by maintaining a clean, safe environment, following infection control protocols, and assisting with transportation, meals, and recreational activities.
• Communicate respectfully with patients and families, maintain confidentiality, contribute to care planning, and participate in education, admissions, transfers, and discharge processes.
• Learn the unit workflow and observe the role and responsibilities of the department RN in preparation for the Nurse Residency Program.
   

What You Need to Apply:

• Education:Graduation with a Bachelor’s or Associates degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing and eligible for RN licensure. Bachelor’s degree is highly desirable.
• Experience: No prior experience required—this role is designed for new graduates
• Licensure required for Graduate Nurse II positions:
  • Current State of Hawaii Practical Nurse license and eligibility for RN licensure, or;
  • Current State of Hawai'i license to practice as a professional nurse
     

Job Requirements

• Certification: Basic Life Support (BLS) certification within 1 month of hire
• Willingness to work rotating shifts and in various care settings or units.

Company Description

As the Big Island’s leading providers of inpatient and outpatient care, the East Hawaii Region of Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation (HHSC), consisting of Hilo Benioff Medical Center, Honoka'a Hospital, Ka′u Hospital, Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, East Hawaii Medical Group and East Hawaii Health Pharmacy, delivers a full range of services and programs. Our three hospitals include 290 beds and more than 1,900 employees. Our medical staff is comprised of 250 physicians, physician assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, representing 33 specialties. East Hawaii Health is our network of clinics offering primary and specialty care. Hilo Benioff Medical Center functions as a Level III Trauma Center, which includes the second busiest emergency room in the state, providing 24-hour care and serving more than 50,000 patients annually. Honoka'a Hospital and Ka′u Hospital are designated as Critical Access Hospitals. To learn more about the East Hawaii Region, please watch our Video Yearbook or visit www.hbmc.org, www.honokaahospital.org or www.kauhospital.org.

Benefits

• 13 paid holidays each year (104 hours); 14 (112 hours) during election years*
• 21 paid vacation days (168 hours) per year*
• 21 paid sick days (168 hours) per year*
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Participation in the State of Hawaii’s retirement system
• Potential eligibility for various student loan repayment & scholarship programs

* Rates listed for paid holidays, vacation and sick days are for 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions assigned to 8 hour shifts. Accruals for these benefits are otherwise prorated based on FTE.

Pre-Employment Health Requirements

Offers of employment will be contingent on successfully passing a pre-employment examination, which includes a drug screen and other regulatory medical requirements such as, but not limited to, a tuberculosis (TB) screen.  The cost for drug screening and blood draw for QuantiFERON and Titers, shall be borne by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

Pre-Employment Assessments for External Candidates

As part of the recruiting process for this position, external applicants (job applicants NOTemployed by HHSC’s East Hawaii Region) are required to complete pre-employment assessments shortly after application submission. If you are not an employee of the East Hawaii Region of HHSC, you will receive an email containing assessment instructions. We ask that you complete the assessments within two days of receipt of the request. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

The East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Shift Details

Must be available to work shifts, weekends and holidays as necessary based on hospital operations. Services are provided 24/7.