Travel Registered Nurse - Psychiatric Unit - Des Moines, IA

Travel assignment, 13 weeks, 8hr nights, 40 hours a week, starting November 23, 2026.

Pay as Cross Country posts it: about $2,086 a week in all, a taxable rate of $20 an hour plus $1,286.17 a week in housing and meal stipends.

Job Summary

Psychiatric Unit Nurse - Days, Iowa — This position involves delivering specialized psychiatric nursing care within an inpatient mental health facility. The role supports adult, adolescent, and geriatric patients with acute mental health illnesses, requiring a high level of clinical expertise and flexibility across various units.

Job Details

• Position Description: Provide comprehensive psychiatric nursing care to adult, adolescent, and geriatric patients experiencing mental health crises. Must be able to assess, monitor, and implement therapeutic interventions according to clinical protocols.
• Required Qualifications: Iowa or Compact Multistate nursing license, 15 months of current inpatient psych/behavioral health experience, EPIC electronic medical record experience, active de-escalation certification (can be obtained during onboarding), and American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS).
• Schedule: Nights, 8 hours per shift, minimum 40 hours per week.
• Additional Information: Must have recent/current inpatient experience with all age groups, including adolescents, adults, and geriatrics. Experience with restraints and de-escalation techniques highly preferred. Candidates should be prepared to float across all Des Moines campuses to similar units. Orientation sessions are scheduled for 11/9 and 11/23, with a strong preference for attendance at the 11/9 orientation. Candidates are expected to work 1-2 of the upcoming winter holidays unless the unit is closed.
• Submission Requirements: Candidates must have a documented active Iowa or multistate license, de-escalation certification, and BLS certification at the time of submission.

Benefits

The benefits of taking a travel assignment with Cross Country include:

• Private housing or generous housing allowance
• Comprehensive health insurance with prescription coverage
• Dependent health insurance with prescription coverage
• Competitive salaries
• Referral bonuses
• Travel reimbursement
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Direct deposit/free checking
• Unlimited free CE credits