Palliative Care RN
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse – Palliative Care

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

Job Description

• Provide palliative care focusing on relief from side effects of serious illness.
• Care includes end-of-life comfort and symptom management (e.g., uncontrolled pain, severe nausea/vomiting, failure to thrive, fatigue) to improve quality of life.
• New unit opening soon; travelers starting before opening will float to inpatient units for training and exposure to various patient populations.
• Shift: 12-hour day/night rotating shifts; schedule reviewed every 4 weeks but subject to change based on staffing needs.
• Required to float within units of equivalent or lower acuity.

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Ohio.
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).
• Minimum 2 years of RN experience.
• Minimum 2 years of Hospice Palliative Care RN experience, with at least some experience within the last year.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association.
• Experience with Epic electronic health record system.

Compliance & Background Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check including FBI and state fingerprinting required prior to start.
• Education verification from an accredited nursing program (CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA).
• 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 vaccine (adult dose after age 11/12).
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray within 1 year.
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination or positive titers.
  • Varicella vaccination or positive titer unless medically exempt.
  • Hepatitis B titer or vaccine series (declination acceptable).
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season (mask required if declined).
• Monthly monitoring through federal exclusion lists (EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG).

Competency & Training Requirements

• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam prior to start.
• Unit-specific competency exams required.
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam required within 1 year of start and updated annually (exceptions apply based on unit).
• Orientation safety manual acknowledgment annually.

Additional Notes

• Candidates must be prepared to float to other units as needed.
• Prior travel experience is preferred but not required.
• This is a travel contract position with a start date in late June.
• New unit opening July 1; early starters will float until training is complete.

References & Documentation

• Two professional references required; at least one must be from a manager or formal leadership.
• Employment application and skills checklist required.

This position offers valuable experience in palliative care within a dynamic inpatient setting, ideal for RNs seeking travel assignments with exposure to complex symptom management and end-of-life care.