Stepdown Care Unit RN
Peoria, IL
GHR Healthcare - PH Division
3x12 hrs

Job Opportunity: Stepdown Care Unit Nurse (RN)

Location: Peoria, Illinois
Specialty: SFMC - Stepdown Care Unit
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit Details

• Unit Type: Stepdown Care Unit
• Number of Beds: 20 (8 private rooms, remainder semi-private)
• Nurse-to-Patient Ratio: 3:1
• Shift Length: 12-hour shifts (7 AM - 7 PM or 7 PM - 7 AM)
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend (Night shift Fri/Sat, Day shift Sat/Sun)
• Holiday Requirement: Every other holiday rotation, including companion day of major holidays
• Call/Standby: None
• Floating: Travel RNs float first; may float to ICU (if experienced), other Stepdown, or General Medicine units
• Dress Code: Any color scrub

Patient Population & Care

• Patients with a wide range of medical conditions including:

  • COPD, CHF, Diabetes Mellitus, Sepsis, Renal issues, DKA
  • Alcohol withdrawal, overdoses, pneumonia, respiratory conditions
  • Some neuro, surgical, and cardiac patients
• Common equipment and interventions:

  • Bipap, Cpap, face mask ventilators
  • Tracheostomies and trached patients on ventilators
  • Chest tubes, G tubes, NG tubes
  • PICC lines, central lines

Required Experience & Skills

• Specialty Experience: ICU or Intermediate (Stepdown) nursing experience required
• Minimum Years of Experience: Not explicitly stated, but must have ICU/Intermediate experience with 3:1 or 2:1 nurse-to-patient ratio
• Progressive care or telemetry experience alone is NOT adequate
• Must have trach and ventilator experience (frequently care for trach/vented patients)
• RNs are required to titrate drips including Cardene, Cardizem, Amiodarone, Dobutamine, Heparin, and low-dose/infrequent vasopressors
• Prior travel experience is NOT explicitly required

Certifications

• Required: BLS (AHA)
• Recommended: ACLS

Staffing Support

• Charge nurse present on each shift (usually does not take patient assignment unless staffing is low)
• House supervisor available 24/7
• 2 Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) per shift; if unit full, each PCT cares for 10 patients
• Tele/Monitor Techs interpret telemetry strips; RNs confirm readings
• Telemetry monitors: Phillips brand

Orientation

• 1 day EPIC training
• 1 day unit orientation with educator
• 1 day floor orientation with RN

Additional Notes

• Local placements accepted within 50-mile radius
• Drug-free campus; negative drug screen required prior to start

This position is ideal for experienced ICU or Stepdown RNs comfortable with complex patient care, ventilator management, and titrating drips in a fast-paced environment.