Med Surg RN
Chicago, Illinois
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County

Registered Nurse – Medical Surgical (RN MS)

Location: Chicago, Illinois Employment type: Travel/Contract Contract length: 13 weeks Hospital highlight: Level 1 Trauma Center

Schedule

• Shift: Night, 3x12-hour shifts (7:00 pm to 7:30 am)
• Hours: 12 per day, 36 per week (guaranteed)
• Block scheduling: Not offered
• Call requirements: N/A
• Weekends: Every other weekend (2 weekends per month)
• Requested time off (RTO): Maximum 5 days, no more than 2 consecutive. No RTO on holidays, the day before or after a holiday, or weekends.
• Floating: Mandatory float facility. Resources must float within scope at the facility's discretion and may be floated mid-shift.

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Illinois
• 2 years of Med Surg experience, with recent Med Surg experience within the last year
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) issued by the American Heart Association
• BLS issued by the American Heart Association
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification, updated annually (acceptable issuers: AHA, Apex, BlueCloud/AAMC)
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) / Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Background Checks and Documentation

• Background check completed within 12 months of start, covering all locations lived, worked, or attended school in the past 7 years, updated annually, and including all aliases
• International background check within 1 year of start, if lived or worked internationally in the past 7 years
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG searches within 30 days of start (may be part of the background check)
• Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID)
• Complete 7-year application with no gap greater than 30 days
• Employment application or resume
• References follow the state requirement for RNs
• RN onboarding form
• Resource guide, required for hospital candidates starting on or after 10/16/2026
• Medication dispensing system form (required for RNs at select facilities)
• Bystander intervention training certificate
• Skills checklist, completed annually
• Facility EMR training modules, up to 2 hours on a computer, completed with proof submitted before start
• Medication/pharmacology competency exam, completed within 12 months of start
• Online color blind test, completed within 12 months of start
• Competency exam, completed within 12 months of start
• Not required for RNs: Illinois Health Care Worker Registry search, Illinois Abuse Registry search

Health and Immunizations

• Physical exam within 12 months of start, updated annually, signed by a PA, NP, DO, or MD
• Fit test for an N95-type mask within 1 year of start (approved masks listed by the source; onsite PAPR use available with an approved exemption)
• Tdap vaccine within 10 years, or a signed declination completed within 12 months of start
• TB test: QuantiFERON Gold or T-SPOT within 12 months of start (PPD not accepted); indeterminate results require a repeat test. Annual TB retesting is not required.
• TB questionnaire required upon hire; annual if latent or past positive TB
• Measles (rubeola), mumps, and rubella: 2 MMR vaccines or a positive titer (low titer requires 1 booster)
• Hepatitis B: vaccine series, titer, or signed declination within 1 year of start (low or equivocal titer requires vaccines or declination)
• Varicella: 2 vaccines or a positive titer (low titer requires 1 booster)
• Negative 9-panel drug screen within 90 days of start, updated annually (marijuana not required)
• Flu vaccine or a medical or religious exemption during flu season (10/01 to 5/4). A declination must also be on file if the vaccine is declined. Documentation due by 11/30.