Stepdown/PCU Registered Nurse
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse - Stepdown/PCU Unit

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit Overview

• Stepdown/Progressive Care Unit (PCU) caring for adult and geriatric patients with general chronic medical conditions.
• Mixed-acuity environment.
• Floating within the organization as needed.
• In-house provider support available 24/7.

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Ohio.
• Minimum 2 years of recent Registered Nurse (RN) experience.
• At least 2 years of Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience, with PCU experience within the last year.
• ACLS certification issued by the American Heart Association.
• BLS certification issued by the American Heart Association.
• Experience with Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM).
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).

Job Details

• Float required.
• Call required.
• Documentation system: Epic.
• Medication dispensing systems: Pyxis, Accudose, Omnicell.
• Communication method: SBAR.

Background and Compliance Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check within 90 days of start, including FBI and BCI fingerprinting (Ohio-specific codes apply).
• Education accreditation confirmation required for nursing degree (accredited by CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA).
• License verification and NURSYS verification required.
• Monthly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG monitoring.
• Pending background check attestation required if fingerprint results are pending.

Certifications and Competencies

• BLS (Basic Life Support) - AHA provider or instructor accepted.
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - AHA provider or instructor accepted.
• Dysrhythmia/EKG Competency Exam required within 1 year of start and updated annually (minimum passing score 76%).
• Unit-specific competency exam required.
• Medication Test/Pharmacology Competency Exam required prior to start.
• Orientation Safety Manual Acknowledgement required annually.
• State License verification within 30 days of start.
• NURSYS verification for RN license.
• NIH Stroke Certification may be required depending on unit (check with recruiter).

Health and Immunization Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year of start confirming good health and free of contagious disease.
• Negative TB test (PPD, QGold, or TSPOT) within 1 year or chest x-ray if positive. TB questionnaire required annually.
• Tdap vaccine (adult dose after age 11/12) required; exemptions not allowed for those working with infants or pregnant patients.
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) - 2 vaccines or positive titer required; boosters if low titer.
• Varicella - 2 vaccines or positive titer required; medical exemptions require documentation.
• Hepatitis B - Titer or 3-vaccine series; declination accepted.
• Seasonal flu vaccine or declination required during flu season (10/1 - 3/31); mask required if declining.
• Negative 10-panel drug screen within 3 months of start (includes amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, cocaine, methadone, methaqualone, opiates, PCP, propoxyphene). New travelers cannot start with drug screen pending.
• COVID vaccination not required but strongly recommended; proof of primary vaccination collected if available.

Additional Requirements

• Two professional references required; at least one must be from a manager or formal leadership role.
• Employment application required including education verification.
• Skills checklist required.
• Compliance with dress code and hand hygiene policies.
• Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training certificate required prior to start and updated annually.
• Ethics and compliance policies must be reviewed and acknowledged annually.

Notes

• Parking options available but at candidate’s expense.
• Fingerprinting must be completed using Ohio-specific codes and within 1 year of start; new fingerprinting required if break in service exceeds 90 days.
• Background and fingerprinting results with hits require additional documentation and adjudication.

This position is ideal for RNs comfortable in a progressive care environment who are flexible with floating and call responsibilities. First-time travel nurses are welcome to apply.