Registered Nurse - PACU

Registered Nurse/PACU

Location: Wilmington, NC

Onsite Flexibility: Onsite

This is a 13-week contract travel nursing opportunity in a Phase 1 PACU setting. The PACU is a varied and challenging practice environment where recovery may take 30 to 90 minutes, depending on when the patient reaches the criteria for discharge to Phase II, home, the post-op tower, or the ICU. Patients are received directly from the OR, EP Lab, Endo, IR, MRI, and ICU patients who need to be recovered before being admitted to units. On nights and weekends, staff recover as well as discharge Phase II patients, and also manage overnight patients destined for the tower and/or ICU. The unit is open 24/7, with staffing based on the need of the OR. New hires receive a comprehensive, individualized orientation tailored to their experience and skill level.

Provide observation and care of patients who have undergone surgical procedures requiring anesthesia in a Phase 1 Recovery Unit.

Receive and recover patients directly from the OR, EP Lab, Endo, IR, MRI, and ICU.

Manage Phase 1 and Phase 2 PACU recovery; may upgrade and manage ICU-level care within the PACU setting.

Send PACU RN to the STICU to recover patients as needed.

Recover and discharge Phase II patients on nights and weekends; manage overnight tower and/or ICU patients.

Float to areas of overflow patients, typically surgical short stay.

Fulfill call requirement once every four weeks.

Participate in weekend rotation (schedule varies).

Operate and monitor special equipment including cardiac monitors (blood pressure, heart rate, respirations, O2 saturation), arterial lines, ICP monitoring, dopplers for vascular checks, fetal heart monitors, EKOS, SCD pumps, and wound vacs.

Utilize unit systems including Pyxis, EPIC, and Perfect Serve for medication management, documentation, and communication.

Be assigned to and expected to work a Storm Team and/or Hurricane Team; may be required to report to work during a catastrophic event, mass casualty, or disaster.

Participate in mid-contract consolidation to the Centralized Office if it occurs; may be preassigned to units as needed.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 PACU experience (required)

ICU experience required (minimum 12 ratings on checklist for screen-through)

Traveler experience required

ACLS certification

BCLS certification

PALS certification

Ability to manage ICU-level care upgrades within the PACU setting

Ability to recover surgical patients in the ICU setting

Minimum 2 years of nursing experience required

Traveler experience required

Current RN license required

ACLS certification required

BCLS certification required

PALS certification required

Unit patient ratios: 1:2

Patient diagnoses include: Vascular and Endovascular, Neurosurgery and Orthopedics, Gynecology and Urology, General and Bariatric, Plastics and ENT, Ophthalmology, and Pediatric cases (T&A, Ears, Hernias, Cleft Lip/Palate), and Phase II when that unit is full

Weekend requirement: varies

Call requirement: once every four weeks

Float requirement: float to areas of overflow patients (typically surgical short stay)

Schedule type: Schedule Committee

Staff based on the need of the OR; unit is open 24/7

Contract staff will be assigned to and expected to work a Storm Team and/or Hurricane Team, and may be required to report during a catastrophic event, mass casualty, or disaster

Mid-contract consolidation to the Centralized Office may occur; contract staff may be preassigned to units as needed

Scrubs: Navy

Flu vaccination required (medical/religious exemptions only)

RTO (Return to Origin) after booking is not allowed and cannot be worked out onsite. Any call-offs or additional RTO on unit could result in contract cancellation and DNR (Do Not Rehire).

RTO maximum: 7 days

Local candidates accepted: candidates living fewer than 50 miles from the facility may inquire through their recruiter about the local rate for the role.

The PACU RN may recover surgical patients in the ICU setting.

Staff will NOT be floating to the ICU; however, they will often upgrade and manage ICU-level care within the PACU, and a PACU RN is sent to the STICU to recover patients.

Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance Plans

401k Retirement Fund

This healthcare organization operates a large regional medical center in the Southeast, providing acute inpatient and surgical services across a wide range of specialties including vascular, neurosurgery, orthopedics, gynecology, urology, general surgery, bariatrics, plastics, ENT, ophthalmology, and pediatrics. The facility serves thousands of patients annually across its network and employs registered nurses, surgical technologists, clinical coordinators, and allied health professionals working across inpatient units, perioperative services, and critical care settings.

GTT is a minority-owned staffing firm and a subsidiary of Chenega Corporation, a Native American-owned company in Alaska. We highly value diverse and inclusive workplaces and support Fortune 500 organizations across banking, financial services, technology, life sciences, biotech, utilities, and retail sectors throughout the U.S. and Canada.