Travel Nurse RN - Telemetry
Houston, TX
First Connect Health
4x12 hrs, Nights
Referral Bonus

RN – Med-Surg / Med-Surg-Tele

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Registered Nurse (RN) to join a general Med-Surg/Internal Medicine unit within a large hospital environment. This is a lower-acuity medical-surgical population with a broad range of general medicine diagnoses.

The ideal candidate will have strong Med-Surg/Internal Medicine experience, excellent IV and phlebotomy skills, and the ability to float to higher-acuity Med-Surg/Telemetry units when required.

Please note: Although this primary unit does not have bedside telemetry, the RN must be telemetry competent and able to interpret cardiac rhythms and manage cardiac drips due to the required floating responsibilities.

Unit Details

• Unit: Med-Surg / General Medicine
• Beds: 20
• RN-to-Patient Ratio: 1:5
• Charting System: EPIC
• Scrub Color: Navy
• Charge Nurse: Available every shift
• Charge Nurse may take a patient assignment depending on census and staffing.

Patient Population

The unit cares for a broad range of general medicine and internal medicine patients. The overall acuity is comparable to a typical community-hospital Med-Surg unit.

Common patient populations include:

• Cellulitis
• Abdominal pain
• Infections
• Surgical overflow
• Direct admissions
• Transplant workups
• Inpatient rehabilitation/SNF transition patients awaiting insurance authorization
• Select behavioral-health patients
• General medical/internal medicine conditions
• Patients who do not require continuous telemetry

Required Certifications

• BLS – Required
• ACLS – Required
• NIHSS – Required for floating purposes

Required Clinical Skills

Strong general Med-Surg/Internal Medicine experience is required.

Candidates must be proficient in:

• IV insertion
• Blood draws/phlebotomy
• General medical-surgical patient care
• Patient assessment and care planning
• Medication administration
• Managing multiple medical diagnoses and changing patient conditions

RNs perform the majority of IV starts and blood draws on the unit.

Cardiac & Telemetry Competency

The primary unit does not have bedside telemetry, making it unique among the hospital's units. However, all RNs must maintain strong telemetry competency because they may be required to float.

Candidates must be comfortable with:

• Basic EKG interpretation
• Cardiac rhythm interpretation
• Telemetry monitoring
• Cardiac drips
• Recognizing changes in cardiac rhythm

A telemetry/EKG competency examination is required.

Drip Management

RNs may be required to manage and/or titrate:

• Heparin
• Lasix

Candidates should be comfortable managing cardiac-related medications and monitoring patients for changes in clinical status.

Staffing & Support

• RN Ratio: Approximately 1:5
• Nurse Aides/Techs: Generally 1:15
• At full capacity, aide ratio may improve to approximately 1:10
• Techs can assist with:
  • Lab draws
  • EKGs
• Charge Nurse: Every shift; may take patients depending on census
• Respiratory Therapy: Shared between floors
• RT supports:
  • Home CPAP setup
  • Breathing treatments

Schedule

• Shift: 12 hours
• Day: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Night: 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM
• Staff participate in a pre-shift huddle beginning at 6:45 AM/PM.
• Earliest clock-in is approximately 6:38.
• Candidates should arrive early enough to be prepared for shift handoff.

Scheduling

• Schedules are created on a month-to-month basis.
• Manager creates the schedule while making reasonable efforts to accommodate traveler requests.
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
• Weekend shifts are Saturday and Sunday.
• Holiday Requirement: Holidays are incorporated into the core-staff rotation.
• Call/Standby: None

Floating Requirement

Floating is required.

Travelers will rotate with core staff and may be floated to:

• Med-Surg units
• Med-Surg/Telemetry units
• Other appropriate Med-Surg/Tele acuity floors

Because of this requirement, candidates must be comfortable with:

• Telemetry monitoring
• EKG interpretation
• Cardiac rhythm interpretation
• Cardiac drip management

Orientation & Training

The orientation program is designed to gradually transition the traveler to independent practice.

Classroom/Training

The first 12 hours are divided into:

• 8-hour classroom orientation
• 4-hour classroom orientation

This includes:

• Hospital policies and procedures
• EPIC training
• Department-specific education

Unit Orientation

• Day 2: 12-hour shift shadowing a preceptor on the unit
• Day 3: 12-hour shift taking patients with a preceptor
• Independent assignment begins after successful completion of orientation

Total orientation: 2 classroom days + 2 shifts on the floor.

EPIC

• EMR: EPIC
• Previous EPIC experience is preferred.

Leadership Experience

• Previous Charge RN experience is preferred but not required.

Dress Code

• Scrub Color: Navy
• Scrubs are provided by the facility.

Parking

Daily parking is approximately $15+ per day.

Multiple on-campus and off-campus parking options are available, with monthly parking passes generally ranging from $95–$120.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced Med-Surg/Internal Medicine RN with strong assessment skills, excellent IV and phlebotomy abilities, and the flexibility to float to Med-Surg/Telemetry units. Because floating is mandatory, the candidate must also be comfortable with EKG interpretation, telemetry monitoring, and cardiac drips.

A strong general medicine background, adaptability, teamwork, and the ability to transition quickly from orientation to independent patient care are essential for success in this assignment.

Akshay #1184973