CVICU Registered Nurse
Albuquerque, New Mexico
University of New Mexico Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse - CVICU

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Details

• Specialty: Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CVICU)
• Shift: Night (3 shifts of 12 hours each, 19:00 - 7:30)
• Hours per week: 36
• Patient ratio: 1:2
• Weekend shifts: As needed
• On-call: No
• Floating: May be floated within scope to other ICUs, PCU floors, Emergency Department, and PACU to care for admitted patients
• Block scheduling: Not guaranteed
• Locals: No locals accepted within 100 miles radius
• Pending license accepted
• Return to office (RTO) restrictions: Absences longer than 7 days require approval
• Guaranteed contracted hours: 36 or 48 hours/week; facility may call off up to 3 times during a 13-week assignment
• Overtime: Paid after 48 hours starting 10/30/2025
• New contracts and extensions must be at least 10 weeks
• Travelers must take a 6-month break after 4 consecutive assignments or 1 year of work, whichever comes first

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid RN license in New Mexico
• Minimum 2 years of CVICU experience, including experience within the last year
• ACLS certification issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• BLS certification issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Special Skills & Clinical Requirements

• Experience with post-op open heart patients
• Competency in bedside procedures including:

  • Tach/PEG tubes
  • Surgical procedures
  • Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
  • Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)
  • Impella device
  • Swan-Ganz catheters
  • Arterial lines (ART lines)
  • Central venous catheters (CVCs)
  • Chest tubes
  • Foley catheter insertion
  • Nasogastric (NG) tubes
• Patient diagnoses commonly encountered:

  • Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)
  • Aortic aneurysm repair/dissection
  • Femoral-popliteal bypass
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Endovascular repair
  • Heart failure
  • Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)
  • Sepsis
• Equipment familiarity:

  • CRRT machines
  • Hemosphere
  • Bladder scanner
  • Cortrak
  • Ultrasound
  • Phillips monitors
  • Impella
  • IABP
  • ECMO
  • ZOLL devices
  • Dopplers
  • Glidescope
  • Pupilometer
  • Blanketrol
  • Arctic Sun
  • Belmont
  • BairHugger

Facility & Work Environment

• Level I Trauma Center
• Teaching hospital with children’s hospital services
• Short-term, acute care setting
• Total staffed beds: 554
• Electronic charting system: Cerner
• Free parking available

Orientation & Testing Requirements

• Relias Basic Dysrhythmia Exam required for ICU units; must score 80% overall and 100% on lethal arrhythmia section
• Candidates have two attempts to pass the Dysrhythmia exam before cancellation
• Medication and pharmacology competency exams required (minimum 80% passing score)
• Management of Assaultive Behavior (MAB) certification may be required depending on unit
• Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) certification may be required
• NIH Stroke Certification accepted from any vendor
• Orientation Safety Manual acknowledgment required
• Cerner training attestation required for new hires starting 8/4/25 orientation group (test-out option available)
• Fingerprinting required onsite during orientation for NM Department of Health clearance (cost approx. $88.30, self-pay with reimbursement)
• Background checks required: 7-year criminal history, EPLS/GSA/SAM, HHS/OIG, education verification
• Pass/fail testing for EKG and medication competency required

Additional Notes

• No public transportation nearby; candidates must have reliable transportation
• Work experience checklist and confidentiality statement currently not required due to crisis credentialing policies
• Traveler compliance and emergency contact forms must be completed and uploaded prior to start

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity for experienced CVICU nurses seeking travel assignments in a high-acuity, technologically advanced environment.