Travel Nurse RN - PCU - Progressive Care Unit
New York, NY
Prime Staffing
3x12 hrs, Days, Nights

Registered Nurse (RN) – Progressive Care Unit (PCU) / Stepdown Job Description

Job Title: Registered Nurse (RN) – PCU / Stepdown
Department: Progressive Care Unit (PCU) / Stepdown
Shift: Days/Nights (12-hour shifts)
Employment Type: Travel / Contract / Full-Time

Job Summary

The Registered Nurse (RN) – PCU/Stepdown provides specialized nursing care to adult patients requiring close monitoring and a higher level of care than Medical-Surgical but not intensive care. The RN is responsible for continuous patient assessment, cardiac monitoring, medication administration, hemodynamic monitoring, and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to deliver safe, high-quality care.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate individualized patient care.
• Continuously monitor telemetry and recognize cardiac rhythm abnormalities.
• Care for patients requiring frequent assessments and complex nursing interventions.
• Administer IV medications, cardiac drips, blood products, antibiotics, and other prescribed treatments.
• Monitor and manage patients with conditions such as CHF, COPD, Sepsis, DKA, Stroke, MI, Respiratory Failure, GI Bleed, and post-operative cardiac or vascular surgery.
• Care for patients requiring BiPAP/CPAP, high-flow oxygen, chest tubes, tracheostomies, and central lines.
• Perform comprehensive neurological and cardiovascular assessments.
• Collaborate with physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, case managers, and other healthcare professionals.
• Educate patients and families regarding disease management, medications, and discharge planning.
• Document patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes accurately in the EMR.
• Respond to Rapid Response, Code Blue, and other emergency situations.
• Float to Telemetry or Medical-Surgical units as required.

Requirements

• Active RN License.
• BLS (AHA) – Required.
• ACLS – Required.
• NIHSS – Preferred/Required by many facilities.
• Minimum 2 years of recent PCU/Stepdown or equivalent acute care experience.
• Experience with telemetry interpretation.
• Travel experience preferred (for travel assignments).
• Experience with EMR systems such as Epic, Cerner, or Meditech.

Preferred Skills

• Cardiac rhythm interpretation.
• Hemodynamic monitoring.
• Management of vasoactive drips (per hospital policy).
• Tracheostomy care.
• Chest tube management.
• Central line care.
• Critical thinking and rapid assessment.
• Strong communication and teamwork.

Typical Patient Ratio

• Days: 1:3–4
• Nights: 1:4–5 (varies by facility)

Common Equipment

• Telemetry/Cardiac Monitors
• IV Infusion Pumps
• PCA Pumps
• Central Venous Catheters (PICC, CVC)
• Chest Tubes
• BiPAP/CPAP
• High-Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC)
• Tracheostomy Equipment
• Feeding Tubes
• Foley Catheters

Common Diagnoses

• Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
• Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
• Myocardial Infarction (MI)
• Atrial Fibrillation
• COPD Exacerbation
• Pneumonia
• Sepsis
• Stroke (Ischemic/Hemorrhagic)
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
• Respiratory Failure
• GI Bleed
• Renal Failure
• Post-Cardiac Surgery
• Post-Vascular Surgery
• Electrolyte Imbalances
• Hypertensive Crisis