RN - MS

Registered Nurse

Job Title: Registered Nurse

Profession: RN (Registered Nurse)

Specialty: Medical Surgical

Duration: 13 weeks

Shift: 12-hour Nights

Hours per Shift: 12

Experience: 1 year of experience required

License: RN License

Certifications: BLS

Must-Have: Must have 1 year of experience. First-time travelers are accepted.

Description: Unit has 48 beds with a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:5-7 on days and 1:6-8 on nights. Common patient diagnoses include pneumonia, UTI, altered mental status, GI bleed, alcohol withdrawal, and falls/weakness. RNs are required to titrate some drips, with exceptions for cardiac drips. Common titratable drips include heparin, bumex, and lasix. There is a charge nurse on each shift who will take a patient assignment during the day shift. On nights when there are two charge nurses, one may not take an assignment. Nurse aides/patient care techs are present on the unit with an average ratio of 1:10-12. Duties for aides/techs include monitoring vitals, blood glucose monitoring, EKGs, applying heart monitors, bathing, feeding, toileting, and turning/positioning patients. Respiratory Therapy administers treatments and manages respiratory equipment; RNs are typically responsible only for monitoring. A monitor tech is available to read and monitor telemetry for patients. Nurses are not expected to interpret tele strips. Shifts are pre-assigned by management without self-scheduling. Travelers may be required to fill gaps in the permanent schedule and are expected to be flexible. Weekends are required every other weekend, and holiday rotations may apply. There is no standby or call requirement. Floating may occur to other units for lower acuity patients. Scrubs color is designated by role: navy blue for RNs, ceil blue for techs, and black and pink for secretaries. Unit-specific orientation consists of one day with an educator and one day with a preceptor. The charting system used is EPIC.