Nursing Jobs in North Carolina With High Demand

As a registered nurse in North Carolina, you can work as a generalist or specialize in a population, clinical area, or setting. Picking a specialty with strong job prospects in the state widens your long-term options as you build expertise. Here is what demand looks like in North Carolina and which specialties are growing fastest.

Required education

Education requirements vary by specialty. Some accept an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN); others want a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). A BSN opens more doors in every area.

The scope of practice for ADN and BSN nurses under the North Carolina Nurse Practice Act is the same, but BSN-prepared nurses get more access to specialty, administrative, and leadership roles, says Dr. Tracy Arnold, DNP, RN, CNE, Director of the Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University. Most organizations prefer BSN-prepared nurses, which often means higher pay and an edge for competitive roles. Accelerated BSN programs and online RN-to-BSN programs help nurses earn the degree while working.

Some specialties require additional education, experience, or certification beyond the ADN or BSN. Certification is not always mandatory, but it proves competency against established professional standards and can move your career forward.

Where demand is highest

The outlook is strong for nurses across North Carolina. State labor projections put registered nurse growth at 12% through 2034, well above the national rate of about 5% projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The BLS does not break demand down by specialty, but state workforce data does. The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, working with the North Carolina Board of Nursing, projected a shortage of 12,459 nurses (about 11% of the projected RN workforce) across all settings by 2033 in its NC Nursecast report.

The largest projected shortages are in these settings: hospitals, nursing home and extended care, home health and hospice, nursing education, correctional facilities, mental health facilities, community and population health, and ambulatory care.

These settings exist statewide. The Research Triangle in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill holds the major teaching hospitals and research facilities. Rural areas offer work with underserved and remote communities through community health, population health, and telehealth, says Arnold.

North Carolina's projections track with The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report from the National Academies, which forecasts national shortages in public and community health, behavioral health, primary care, long-term care, geriatrics, school health, and maternal health.

In-demand nursing jobs in North Carolina

Based on state and national projections, these specialties are most likely to be in high demand for registered nurses in North Carolina.

Medical surgical nurse

Medical-surgical nurses care for adults with a wide range of medical issues before and after surgery, handling patient safety, comfort, and recovery. They work in medical or surgical inpatient units. Optional certification: Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC).

Operating room (OR) nurse

OR nurses prepare patients, rooms, and equipment for surgery, administer IV medication, and support the surgical team. They work in operating and recovery rooms in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient surgery centers. Optional certification: Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR).

Infection control nurse

Infection control nurses prevent and manage infectious diseases by analyzing data, treating patients, building outbreak response plans, and training staff. They work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care, public health departments, emergency preparedness organizations, and home health. Optional certification: Certified in Infection Control (CIC) or Associate-Infection Prevention and Control (a-IPC).

Clinical research nurse

Clinical research nurses bridge researchers and patient volunteers, combining patient care, reporting, and recordkeeping while making sure patients are treated ethically and safely. They work in research labs, hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare organizations. Optional certification: Clinical Research Nurse (CRN-BC).

Informatics nurse

Informatics nurses combine nursing science with data and technology, improving clinical workflow through electronic health records, decision-support systems, and telemedicine platforms. They work across virtually all clinical settings. Optional certification: Informatics Nursing Certification (NI-BC).

Geriatric nurse

Geriatric nurses care for older adults, often managing dementia, heart failure, cancer, chronic pain, or stroke. They work in nursing homes, extended care facilities, retirement communities, assisted living, and patients' homes. Optional certification: Gerontological Nursing Certification (GERO-BC).

Palliative care nurse

Palliative care nurses support patients with serious illness at any stage, managing pain and symptoms while providing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual care. They work in homes, clinics, residential hospices, long-term and skilled care facilities, and acute inpatient settings. Optional certification: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN).

Home health nurse

Home health nurses care for patients who struggle to travel to a care center, often older, chronically ill, or terminally ill people, along with new mothers and newborns. They work in patients' homes. No certification is specific to this field, but nurses can certify in a related clinical area such as gerontology or pediatrics.

Nurse educator

Nurse educators teach nursing and patient care in classrooms and clinical settings, from aspiring nurses to graduate students. They work in colleges, universities, hospitals, and trade schools. Optional certification: Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator (CNEcl), or Certified Academic Nurse Educator Novice (CNEn).

Correctional forensic nurse

Correctional forensic nurses treat incarcerated patients with acute and chronic conditions, many of whom have had no recent care. They work in jails, prisons, halfway houses, and group homes. Optional certification: Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP or CCHP-RN).

Psychiatric-mental health nurse

These nurses provide mental health care to individuals, families, groups, and communities, treating conditions like depression, attention disorders, and substance use disorders. They work in hospitals, psychiatric clinics, long-term care, rehabilitation facilities, and schools. Optional certification: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC).

Addictions nurse

Addictions nurses guide patients through recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, often using medication-assisted treatment, and advocate for substance use prevention. They work in hospitals, inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, mental health clinics, psychiatric units, and private practice. Optional certification: Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN).

Public health nurse

Public health nurses focus on population health through education, patient care, and advocacy. They work in community health centers, clinics, and facilities run by government agencies and nonprofits. Optional certification: Advanced Public Health Nursing Certification (PHNA-BC).

Ambulatory care nurse

Ambulatory care nurses care for patients across the lifespan, usually managing high patient volume in short windows. They work in outpatient clinics, private practices, military and veteran settings, managed care organizations, and telehealth. Optional certification: Ambulatory Care Nurse-Board Certified (AMB-BC).

Telehealth nurse

Telehealth nurses deliver care remotely by phone, video, email, or chat, handling monitoring, care coordination, case management, education, and pre- and post-surgical care. They work in hospitals, urgent care, nurse call centers, or from home. Optional certification: Ambulatory Care Nurse-Board Certified (AMB-BC).

School nurse

School nurses manage students' health needs, provide first aid, coordinate care for chronic and acute conditions, administer medications, and run vision and hearing screenings. They work in schools from daycare to college and in settings like summer camps. Optional certification: Nationally Certified School Nurse (NCSN).

Labor and delivery nurse

Labor and delivery nurses care for pregnant patients from admission through delivery and the postpartum period, monitoring mother and newborn and teaching newborn care. They work in labor and delivery units in hospitals and birthing centers. Optional certification: Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB).