PCU Registered Nurse
Wilmington, NC
PRIDE Health
3x12 hrs, Nights
Referral Bonus

Registered Nurse - PCU (North Carolina, Wilmington)

Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Nights, 3 shifts of 12 hours (18:45 - 7:15), 36 hours per week

Job Summary

• Work on a cardiac floor with a focus on progressive care unit (PCU) / stepdown level patients.
• Patient diagnoses include atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure (CHF), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), coronary artery disease (CAD), valvular heart diseases, cardiomyopathy, peripheral vascular disease, and post-cardiac procedures.
• Special procedures encountered: CABG, valve replacements/repairs, TAVR, mitral clip, electrophysiology procedures, pacemaker placements, vascular and thoracic surgeries.
• Use of specialized equipment such as arterial lines, Doppler, bladder scanner, EKG, femoral sheaths, chest tubes, and epicardial pacing wires.
• Unit systems include Pyxis, EPIC, and SBAR communication.
• Nurse-to-patient ratios vary by acuity: typically 1:4 for surgical stepdown and 1:5-6 for lower acuity patients.
• Float requirement: follows unit rotation, not first to float.
• Weekend requirement: approximately 4 weekends per 4 weeks (flexible).
• Contract staff may be assigned to Storm/Hurricane Teams and required to report during catastrophic events or disasters.

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in North Carolina.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in Cardiac Progressive Care Unit (PCU), with at least some experience within the last year.
• One completed travel nursing assignment.
• Current certifications:

  • BLS (Basic Life Support) issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
  • ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
  • NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).
• Experience in charge nurse roles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with arterial line management.
• Wound care and wound vac experience.
• Charge nurse experience.

Additional Information

• Scrubs color: Navy.
• Interview required prior to offer.
• Candidates must provide a passport-style photo on a white background for badge creation.
• Candidates must complete facility-specific education checklists and annual mandatory trainings as applicable.
• Candidates must complete the facility’s Corp ID and I-Learn account setup process prior to start.
• References: 2 professional references within 3 years required for travel and acute care candidates.
• Performance evaluations required if previously worked with the agency over one year.

Important Notes

• No return-to-office (RTO) after booking allowed; call-offs or additional RTO may result in cancellation.
• Candidates must be prepared to work in disaster response teams if needed.
• Facility uses EPIC electronic health record system; optional Epic test-out available but not required.
• Compliance with all facility policies, including tobacco-free campus and confidentiality agreements, is mandatory.

This position is ideal for experienced cardiac RNs comfortable with telemetry and progressive care patients, who are flexible with night shifts and disaster response duties.