PCU Registered Nurse
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse – PCU

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 16 weeks

Unit & Patient Population

• Mixed acuity surgical oncology unit caring for Progressive Care Unit (PCU) and Medical-Surgical patients
• Patient age groups: Adults and Geriatrics
• Common diagnoses include:

  • Surgical Oncology (breast, thyroid, melanoma)
  • Hepatobiliary cancers (liver, pancreas, spleen, biliary tract, neuroendocrine)
  • Colorectal cancers (colon, rectal)
  • Reconstructive plastics for breast cancer or sarcoma

Work Schedule & Staffing

• Shift: Night shift (3 shifts of 12 hours, 7:00 PM – 7:30 AM)
• Rotating schedule with possible days, nights, or combination based on unit needs
• Staffing ratio goal: 1 nurse to 4 patients, may go up to 1:5
• No set/blocked scheduling; schedule reviewed every 4 weeks but subject to change
• Self-scheduling requests allowed before final schedule posting
• Orientation:

  • Week 1: Monday to Friday, day shift orientation
  • Week 2: 36 hours on-unit orientation with a preceptor

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Ohio
• Minimum 1 year of Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience within the last year
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Required Certifications

• Basic Life Support (BLS) issued by the American Heart Association
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) issued by the American Heart Association
• NIH Stroke Scale Certification (NIHSS)

Preferred Certification:

• Oncology Nursing Society Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Certification (ONS Chemo)

Clinical Skills & Procedures

• Chemotherapy administration
• Blood transfusions
• IV antibiotics
• Management of oncologic emergencies including cytokine release syndrome
• Insulin and heparin drip management
• Strong focus on infection prevention protocols and patient fall prevention

Electronic Health Record

• EPIC computerized charting system

Background & Compliance Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check within 90 days of start, including FBI and state fingerprinting (BCI/FBI)
• Monthly monitoring through EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG databases
• Education verification from accredited nursing programs (CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA) required
• Ohio BCI & FBI fingerprinting required with specific code (3701.881) and must be current within 1 year of start
• Pending background check attestation required if fingerprint results are pending at start
• Drug screening: Negative 10-panel drug test within 3 months of start (no pending tests allowed)
• Physical exam within 1 year confirming good health and free of contagious disease
• Immunizations and health documents required:

  • Tdap (adult dose after age 11/12)
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray within 1 year
  • TB questionnaire in lieu of annual TB test
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – 2 vaccines or positive titer with boosters if needed
  • Hepatitis B titer or 3-vaccine series (declination acceptable)
  • Varicella – 2 vaccines or positive titer (medical exemption requires documentation)
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season (10/1 – 3/31) with mask requirement if declined
• COVID-19 vaccination not required but strongly recommended

Additional Requirements

• 2 professional references required; at least one must be from a manager or formal leadership (charge RN acceptable as second reference)
• Employment application and skills checklist required
• Unit-specific competency exams including:

  • Medication/pharmacology competency exam
  • Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam (required annually with remediation process if failed)
• Annual acknowledgment of orientation safety manual, dress code, hand hygiene, ethics, and compliance policies
• Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training certificate required prior to start and updated annually

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to work in a busy surgical oncology PCU with a diverse patient population and advanced clinical care requirements.