Cardiac Stepdown | Registered Nurse

Cardiac Stepdown Registered Nurse (RN) – Travel Nursing Contract in Madison, Wisconsin

Cardiac Stepdown Registered Nurse travel contract in Madison, Wisconsin, for experienced acute-care RNs with cardiac telemetry, progressive care, ventilator, and post-operative nursing expertise. This assignment offers the opportunity to care for adult and geriatric patients recovering from complex thoracic and cardiac procedures while collaborating with an interdisciplinary team in a progressive, team-oriented environment. Madison is a vibrant Midwestern city known for its beautiful lakes, welcoming neighborhoods, cultural attractions, and excellent outdoor recreation.

Travel RN Job Details

• Nursing Specialty: Cardiac Stepdown / Intermediate Care / Progressive Care
• Employment Type: Travel nursing contract
• Location: Madison, Wisconsin
• Weekly Estimated Pay: $2,130–$2,250
• Start Date: November 9, 2026
• Contract Duration: 13 weeks
• Schedule: 3 shifts per week, 36 hours per week
• Shift: 12-hour days, 7:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend, with some holidays required
• Patient Population: Adult and geriatric patients
• Patient Ratio: Approximately 1:3
• Floating: Float as needed between intermediate care and acute/progressive care assignments
• Documentation System: Epic electronic health record (EHR)
• Location Requirement: Applicants must reside more than 50 miles from the assignment location; local candidates are not accepted

Cardiac Stepdown RN Job Requirements

• Active Wisconsin Registered Nurse (RN) license or compact RN license
• At least 2 years of acute-care inpatient RN experience within the past 3 years, preferably in cardiac stepdown, intermediate care (IMC), progressive care unit (PCU), DOU, telemetry, ICU, or thoracic surgery
• Required cardiac telemetry, oncology telemetry, and progressive-care nursing experience
• Required ventilator and transplant experience
• Required ICU or IMC experience and surgical post-operative nursing experience
• Required Trauma Level II experience; Trauma Level I experience preferred
• Current BLS and ACLS certifications from the American Heart Association
• Strong cardiac rhythm interpretation and dysrhythmia-management skills
• Successful completion of a telemetry examination before assignment clearance. Testing includes lethal rhythm recognition, third-degree heart block identification, and a passing score of at least 80% within the permitted attempts

Cardiac Stepdown Registered Nurse Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate, evidence-based nursing care for patients recovering from thoracic and cardiac procedures
• Care for patients with lung and esophageal disease, lobectomies, decortications, esophagectomies, wedge resections, lung volume reduction procedures, and other complex surgical conditions
• Monitor cardiac rhythms and promptly recognize and respond to changes in patient condition
• Manage ventilatory and non-invasive airway support, including BiPAP, CPAP, high-flow nasal cannula, and oxygen therapy
• Care for chest tubes, central lines, PICC lines, arterial lines, surgical drains, feeding tubes, and wound vacuums
• Administer blood products and manage heparin, insulin, vasoactive, and other titrated therapies according to established protocols
• Provide pre- and post-operative care for cardiac and thoracic surgery patients, including post-cardiac catheterization care
• Interpret arterial blood gases, identify dysrhythmias, and initiate appropriate interventions
• Collaborate with physicians, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, rehabilitation, rapid response teams, and other interdisciplinary partners
• Participate in rapid response and code team activation while maintaining a safe and organized clinical environment
• Support unit innovation, teamwork, skill development, and the integration of evidence-based nursing practices

Apply now for this cardiac stepdown travel nursing opportunity in Madison, Wisconsin, and bring your progressive-care RN expertise to a high-acuity clinical team.

Benefits

401K with Matching, Healthcare, Dental and Vision

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity across our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.