CVICU Registered Nurse
Parkersburg, WV
Access Healthcare
3x12 hrs, Nights

Job Opportunity: CVICU Registered Nurse (RN)

Location: Parkersburg, West Virginia
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Nights
Hours: 12-hour shifts, approximately 36 hours per week
Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
Holiday Requirement: As needed to fill unit needs

Unit & Patient Population

• Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) with 18 beds, mixed acuity including Step Down and ICU patients
• Nurse-to-patient ratios:

  • 1:1 for fresh open heart & device patients
  • 1:2 for ICU status patients
  • 1:3 for step down patients
• Common patient diagnoses:

  • Atrial fibrillation, Heart blocks, Bradycardia
  • NSTEMI, STEMI, Cardiac Arrest
  • Hyper/Hypotension, Pulmonary Embolisms, Cardiogenic Shock
  • Post heart surgery (CABG, valve repairs), Thoracic surgery (VATS, lobectomy)
  • Heart failure

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Valid RN license in West Virginia
• Minimum 2 years of CVICU experience, including CVICU experience within the last year
• Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing
• ACLS certification
• BLS certification issued by the American Heart Association
• Current driver's license
• Experience with fresh open heart patients and patients >6 hours post open heart surgery
• Experience with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
• Experience with temporary pacemakers and post permanent pacemaker care
• Experience with acute MI pre/post cardiac catheterization care
• Experience managing mediastinal and chest tubes
• Mechanical ventilator experience
• Experience with hypothermia protocol
• Arterial line management experience
• Experience titrating and managing drips including:

  • Cardizem, Cardene, Nitroglycerin, Cleviprex, Milrinone, Dobutamine, Lasix, Epinephrine

Clinical Skills & Responsibilities

• RNs are required to titrate drips and read their own telemetry strips every 4 hours
• Monitor alarms are managed by monitor techs off-unit; RNs respond to alarms
• Common drips to titrate or manage include:

  • Cardizem, Cordarone, Cardene, Nitroglycerin, Esmolol, Cleviprex
  • Milrinone, Dopamine, Dobutamine
  • Lasix, Bumex
  • Epinephrine, Levophed, Vasopressin
  • Insulin, Heparin, Aggrastat
  • Precedex, Propofol, Versed, Fentanyl

Team & Support

• 24/7 Respiratory Therapy coverage with equipment including vents, trach vents, BiPAP, CPAP, high flow, and Trilogy ventilators
• Hospitalists or intensivists present in-house
• 1-2 Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) per shift
• Rare opportunity to work charge nurse on night shift; night shift charge nurses take patient assignments

Scheduling & Work Environment

• Self-scheduling and block scheduling requests are allowed and often granted, but may be adjusted to meet unit needs
• No call or standby requirements
• Floating: Travelers float first; may float to Acute Care Unit (ACU), ICU, Med-Surg, or Telemetry with a max patient load of 6
• Dress code: Royal blue scrubs

Orientation

• One-week unit-specific orientation including modules, Epic training, and hands-on orientation with unit RN

Additional Requirements

• Must submit a copy of an unexpired driver’s license (due to a 50-mile radius rule)

This position is ideal for experienced CVICU RNs with strong critical care skills, especially those comfortable managing complex cardiac patients and advanced devices.