Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse
Saint Louis, Missouri
Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse (PCU) - Travel/Contract

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Details

• Specialty: Progressive Care Unit (PCU)
• Start Date: Approximately 3-4 weeks from compliance clearance
• Shift Options: Can sign for 36 or 48 hours per week
• Patient Ratios: 1:3-5
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
• On-Call: Not required
• Floating: Yes, within service line
• Block Schedule: Not accommodated
• Locals Accepted: No (home address must be at least 75 miles from facility)
• Pending License Accepted: Yes
• Guaranteed Hours: Yes
• Return to Office (RTO) Restrictions: No more than 7 days of RTO per 13-week contract

Experience & Certifications

• Required Years of Experience: 2 years in specialty (PCU/Telemetry)
• First-Timers Accepted: Yes
• Prior Travel Experience: Not explicitly required
• Required Certifications:

  • ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
  • BLS (Basic Life Support)

Clinical & Unit Requirements

• Work Setting: Telemetry, PCU, and tele acuity (dedicated PCU experience not required)
• Key Skills:

  • Interpretation & management of dysrhythmias
  • Telemetry monitoring on unit
  • Blood product administration
  • Central line care/management
  • Titration and management of cardiac and vasoactive drips
• Patient Population: Mixed acuity including hospitalist and cardiac patients
• Common Diagnoses:

  • Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
  • Arrhythmias (A-fib, A-flutter)
  • Acute Coronary Syndrome (STEMI/NSTEMI)
  • Heart Valve Disease
  • Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Hypertensive Crisis
  • Chest pain, shortness of breath, syncope
  • Pacemaker/AICD malfunction
  • Acute renal failure
• Special Procedures:

  • Cardiac catheterization
  • Pacemaker/AICD placement
  • Echocardiogram
  • Treadmill stress test
  • Nuclear stress test
  • Cardiac MRI/CT
  • Cardioversion/Ablation
  • Carotid Doppler
  • Pulmonary function test
  • Anti-arrhythmic drug loading

Facility Highlights

• Short Term Acute Care Facility
• Magnet & Teaching Hospital
• Level I Trauma Center
• Total Staffed Beds: 1,266
• Charting System: EPIC
• Scrub Color: Navy Blue

Compliance & Documentation Requirements

• Government-issued ID required
• Criminal background check within 6 months (including statewide, nationwide, and international if applicable)
• Quarterly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks
• Education verification of highest nursing degree
• Professional license primary source verification (Missouri licenses via NURSYS)
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, must include standard panels and be valid throughout assignment
• Physical exam within 1 year of start
• Fit mask testing (N95) required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and titers required or declinations accepted with some unit-specific restrictions:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (every 10 years)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray with yearly questionnaire
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (titers or vaccines)
  • Hepatitis B declination required (not vaccine)
• Seasonal flu vaccination or exemption required during flu season
• Unit-specific competency exams including dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam (must be updated annually)
• Medication/pharmacology competency exam required
• Background checks and state-specific searches as required by Missouri and Illinois regulations
• Facility-specific documents including HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality form, latex allergy questionnaire, hand hygiene, fingernail, and dress code policies must be reviewed and signed prior to start
• Orientation modules (~16 hours) required prior to start unless recently completed at the facility
• References: Two professional references required (supervisors preferred)

Additional Notes

• Candidates must adhere to facility policies including dress code, hand hygiene, and fingernail policies to avoid being sent home from shifts
• Floating within the service line is expected
• No block scheduling accommodation
• Locals not accepted; must live at least 75 miles away from the facility

This position is ideal for a Registered Nurse with at least 2 years of PCU or telemetry experience who is comfortable managing cardiac patients and telemetry monitoring in a high-acuity, Magnet-designated teaching hospital environment.