Pediatric Stepdown RN
Chicago, Illinois
La Rabida Children's Hospital

Pediatric Stepdown Registered Nurse (RN) - Travel/Contract

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Night (4 shifts per week, 12 hours each, 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM)
Hours per Week: 48 hours

Unit & Patient Population

• Inpatient pediatric stepdown unit with 39 beds, caring for patients aged 2 weeks to 18 years.
• Unit includes all pediatric specialties.
• Approximately 50-60% of patients are technology dependent (e.g., ventilators, tracheostomies, G tubes).
• Acute care unit focused on children with chronic illnesses.
• No drips or surgical patients; transitional patients included.

Staffing & Ratios

• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:3 to 1:4.
• Weekend work required every other weekend.
• Floating within scope of practice may be required.
• Block scheduling accommodations available.
• Local nurses accepted at the same rate as travelers.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Illinois.
• Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing.
• Minimum 2 years of pediatric Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience, with at least 1 year within the last year.
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) experience.
• Experience with ventilators, tracheostomies, and G tubes.
• Experience working with a 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio.
• Experience with MEDITECH electronic health record system.
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association.
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association.

Licensure & Certifications

• Active Illinois RN license required at time of submission (compact licenses not accepted).
• BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) certification required.
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification required.
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) preferred but not required.

Immunizations & Health Requirements

• Flu vaccine required (medical and religious exemptions accepted).
• COVID-19 vaccination required; exemptions not accepted. Booster preferred.
• Physical exam within 1 year of start date.
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap vaccine within past 10 years.
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year.
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella: Two vaccinations or positive titer; low titers require booster and declination form.
• Hepatitis B vaccination series or positive titer required; low/negative titers require new series or declination.
• Varicella: Positive titer or proof of two vaccines required.
• Drug screen within 30 days prior to start, covering a comprehensive panel of substances.

Background & Compliance Checks

• 7-year background check including SSN verification, county/statewide/nationwide searches, sex offender registry, education verification, and abuse registry.
• Annual EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks.
• Illinois-specific checks: Child Abuse/Neglect, Nurses Aide Registry, and Sex Offender Registry.
• Social Security verification required prior to start.

Additional Requirements

• Two professional references required (travel/allied/per diem acute care).
• Annual skills checklist and competency exams (medication/pharmacology) required.
• Completion of facility-specific orientation and HIPAA training.
• Virtual new hire orientation with video review and acknowledgment.
• Facility requires neat and clean attire; pediatric-themed scrubs encouraged.
• Free parking available on-site.

Scheduling & Hours

• Guaranteed hours based on shift length:

  • 36 hours for 3 shifts of 12 hours
  • 48 hours for 4 shifts of 12 hours
  • 40 hours for shifts less than 12 hours (8- or 10-hour shifts)

Notes

• Prior travel experience is not required.
• On-call duties are not required.
• Pending Illinois RN license accepted if active license is obtained before start.
• Return-to-Office (RTO) requests must be approved and included in the contract before start; no additions after contract begins.