Travel Nurse RN - PACU - Post Anesthesia Care
Columbia, MO
MedCadre
3x12 hrs, Days
Referral Bonus

Title: Registered Nurse (RN) – PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit)

Location: Columbia, MO 65212
Shift: Day | 3x12 Hours | 9:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Duration: 13 Weeks with possible extension
Start Date: August 17, 2026
Weekly Hours: 36 Hours/week
Contract type: Travel Contract (radius rule: 50 miles)

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Registered Nurse (RN) – PACU to join a Level I Trauma Teaching Hospital. The ideal candidate will have strong PACU experience with a previous ICU or ER background and be comfortable managing critically ill post-operative patients, ventilated patients, and a wide variety of surgical recoveries.

Responsibilities

• Provide Phase I and Phase II PACU nursing care.
• Recover patients following general, spinal, MAC, conscious sedation, and nerve block anesthesia.
• Monitor and manage ventilated and critically ill post-operative patients.
• Titrate IV drips and administer emergency medications as needed.
• Perform airway assessments and manage advanced airway interventions.
• Monitor cardiac rhythms, arterial lines, and hemodynamic status.
• Care for patients following orthopedic, neuro, spine, vascular, transplant, trauma, ENT, robotic, cardiac, GYN, ophthalmology, IR, Cath Lab, and pediatric procedures.
• Administer blood products and manage central lines, ports, and IV therapy.
• Collaborate with anesthesia providers, surgeons, ICU teams, respiratory therapy, and multidisciplinary staff.
• Float to Pre-Op or Phase II Recovery as required.

Skills & Experience

• Airway management and extubation
• Ventilator management
• Arterial blood gas interpretation
• Cardiac monitoring and dysrhythmia management
• Procedural sedation recovery
• Arterial line management
• Central line and PICC care
• Blood administration
• Chest tube management
• Pain management
• Pre/Post-operative care
• Trauma patient recovery

Requirements

• Active Missouri RN License or Compact RN License.
• Minimum 2 years of PACU experience required.
• Previous ICU experience required (ER background also considered; ICU preferred).
• AHA - BLS,ACLS, PALS
• Previous travel nursing experience required.
• Teaching Hospital experience required.
• Level I and Level II Trauma experience required.
• Experience caring for ICU recovery patients.

• Experience with ventilated patients and vasoactive drips.