Travel Nurse RN - PCU - Progressive Care Unit
Rapid City, SD
Thrive Staffing
4x12 hrs, Days

General Information

We are seeking a skilled and dedicated PCU Registered Nurse (RN) to join our team. This is a mixed acuity unit with 64 beds spread across two floors.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 1 year of nursing experience required.
• First-time travelers accepted if they have greater than 1 year of experience.
• Must have EPIC experience for first-time travelers.
• Travelers must reside at least 100 miles away from any facilities within the region.

Patient Types

This role involves caring for a variety of patient types, including:

• Pre/post-surgical patients
• CVA (Stroke)
• Seizures
• Cellulitis
• Influenza
• UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections)
• Pneumonia
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• CHF (Congestive Heart Failure)
• Renal failure with or without hemodialysis
• Hepatic failure
• Gastrointestinal disorders and infections
• Soft tissue injuries and minor fractures
• DVTs (Deep Vein Thrombosis)

Role Responsibilities

As a PCU RN, the responsibilities include:

• Medication administration, including titratable vasoactive drips, TPN, tube feeding, and blood product transfusions.
• Peripheral IV, Midline, PICC and central line access, as well as management of chest tubes, nasogastric tubes, drains, and urinary/fecal collection devices.
• Providing wound care and monitoring telemetry patients.
• Managing post-neuro intervention patients (preferred experience, but education and resources will be provided).

Patient Ratios

The standard patient ratios are:

• RN:PCU: 1:4
• CNA: 1:8

Required Certifications

Applicants must have the following certifications:

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support)
• NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale)

Qualifications

Candidates should meet the following qualifications:

• Completion of a nursing education program approved by a board of nursing.
• Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in South Dakota.
• Comfortable taking on MedSurg assignments.
• Previous experience with the specified patient types, including IMC/stepdown and neuro is preferred.
• Able to read and interpret cardiac strips.
• Experience with wound care and line management, as well as drip titration of medications such as Heparin, Insulin, Cardizem, Amiodarone, Levophed, and occasionally esmolol.

Support on the Unit

The unit operates on a pod structure, providing support with:

• Two RNs and 1 Nurse Aide per pod (8 patients per pod).
• A resource nurse available during day shifts.
• Nurse Clinician support available.

Charting System

The preferred charting system is EPIC, and approval from management is required prior to an offer.

Scheduling

Schedules are created in 6-week rotations, with potential weekend rotations including up to 4 of the 6 weekends. Please indicate your openness to working every weekend.

Orientation

New hires will undergo:

• Two days of unit/department orientation.
• Classroom training with the Nursing Professional Development Team.
• Two orientation shifts on the unit