Career Resources / Top Job Reasons Charlottesville, Virginia
Being a nurse is not easy: the days are long, the work is hard, and often stressful. Still, you wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Nurses understand the satisfaction of making a real difference for their patients. Whether providing physical care or simply a smile and word of encouragement that provides a much-needed emotional boost, there’s no other profession in the world that combines compassion, skill, and knowledge in the way that nursing does.
You’ve put an enormous amount of your time and effort into your career, so choosing an employer and location where you will be appreciated and able to enjoy life outside of work is something you owe to yourself. Charlottesville, Virginia offers you both.
When most people think of Charlottesville, the first things that come to mind are Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia. While it’s true that Charlottesville was both Jefferson’s home and the site of his renowned Academical Village, there is so much more this small city has to offer.
While Charlottesville itself has just over 46,000 residents, its metropolitan area is home to over 150,000 people who avail themselves of its many cultural, economic, and social amenities. Charlottesville is consistently ranked one of the best places to live in the United States and is a popular tourist destination year round. Most are there to see the University of Virginia, which (along with Monticello) has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but many also discover that the town has other entertainments that contribute to its reputation as a great place to live.
Charlottesville boasts nine breweries within its city limits, as well as a thriving music scene. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking and ballooning, as well as the majesty of nearby Shenandoah National Park. The downtown area is bustling, with the Downtown Mall’s boutiques and eating establishments constituting one of the country’s longest outdoor pedestrian malls, the Virginia Discovery Museum, and an outdoor amphitheater. The local school district has an excellent reputation, and the city’s economy boasts so many opportunities that in 2022, over $50 million was invested in commercial projects.
Plenty of Healthcare Jobs in Charlottesville
Though Charlottesville has just two hospitals, there is no shortage of nursing opportunities. In addition to the University of Virginia Medical Center and Sentara Mary Jefferson Hospital, the town and its surrounding area are home to a large branch of UnitedHealthcare, almost two dozen nursing homes, and hundreds of private practices, medical clinics, and specialty offices. There are also many opportunities available for nurses to help shape future nurses, as Piedmont Virginia Community College and the University of Virginia offer nursing programs ranging from Certificates in Practical Nursing and Associate Degrees in Nursing to Post-Baccalaureate Ph.D. and DNP curricula.
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University of Virginia Medical Center
Ranked the No. 1 hospital in Virginia by Newsweek magazine in their article “World’s Best Hospitals 2023,” the center was also included among the top 250 hospitals in the world. The academic health system is the top employer in Charlottesville and includes a level 1 trauma center, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the UVA Children’s Hospital, and three community hospitals. Also included in the network are specialty care clinics and a network of primary care physicians throughout the region. In addition to its caring facilities, UVA also has a School of Medicine and a School of Nursing and is a tier-one research institution.
Nurses considering working for UVA will find the hiring and onboarding process extremely streamlined and efficient. Compensation is designed to attract, develop, and retain employees using market-based salary ranges and pay practices that reward high performance and career development. Starting salaries are competitive, and nurses can advance to higher pay grades by developing new skills or taking on new responsibilities. Employees receive bonuses, non-monetary awards, and recognition for demonstrating UVA’s values, and the facility offers incentive based pay including sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, project-based bonus plans, and other variable pay options.
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
Charlottesville’s other hospital, Sentara Martha Jefferson, is a 176-bed facility that offers a wide range of medical services. This 100-year-old facility offers specialized care in Cancer Care, Heart and Vascular, Neurology and Neurosurgery Orthopedics, and Maternity. The hospital consistently demonstrates its dedication to the diverse healthcare needs of its patients, and regularly conducts community health needs assessments to identify what is most needed to achieve health and wellness goals. Sentara has consistently been nominated as Employer of Choice over the last decade, while Forbes has recognized it as one of the “Best Employers for New Graduates” and “Best Employers for Women.”
For their nurses, Sentara works to provide opportunities for continual education, growth and career advancement. New nurse graduates are supported via a Nurse Residency Program, and the system supports academic progression through tuition assistance, scholarships, and more. They also offer programs to support continued learning through on-the-job training problems. The nursing model is based on Relationship-Based Care and every nurse is enabled to share in decisions and actions regarding patient care. Benefits include paid annual leave, medical, dental, and vision benefits, emergency back-up care, paid parental leave, adoption, infertility and surrogacy reimbursement, and more.
Optum/UnitedHealth Group
Optum is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that is composed of both a pharmacy benefit manager and health care provider. Their business focuses on data and analytics, pharmacy care services, population health, healthcare delivery, and healthcare operations. Their care service places nurses in positions where they help build healthier communities.
Many Optum/UnitedHealth registered nurse positions offer up to $10,000 sign-on bonuses, and Optum employees receive competitive health and well-being options, as well as company contribution to the cost of benefits for nurses and their families.
Beyond these employers, Charlottesville is home to a Veterans Affairs clinic, numerous skilled nursing homes, long-term care facilities, clinics, private practices, specialty physicians’ offices, and more. Nurses who are interested in excellent professional opportunities available in Charlottesville, Virginia can visit Incredible Health’s nursing job search page.
