Step Down Unit Registered Nurse
Evansville, Indiana
Deaconess Hospital

Registered Nurse – Step Down Unit

Location: Evansville, Indiana
Employment Type: Travel
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Details

• Shift: 12-hour nights (6:30 PM – 7:00 AM)
• Guaranteed Hours: 36 hours per week (except during holidays when the unit is closed)
• Unit: 19-bed blended unit (8 Step Down beds, 11 Med/Surg/Telemetry beds)
• Patient Ratio:

  • Nights Step Down: 1:4
  • Nights Med/Surg/Telemetry: up to 1:7
• Float Requirements:

  • First to float within skillset
  • Possible float to nearby campuses (8–11 miles away) with 2-hour notice
  • Mid-shift float within same campus; cross-campus mid-shift float unlikely but possible
• Weekend/Holiday:

  • Work three weekends every six weeks
  • Every other holiday
• On Call/Call Back: Not required
• Dress Code: Navy blue scrubs only; no competing health system or agency logos
• Additional: Teaching hospital environment; may require precepting students and new hires
• COVID-19 Vaccine: Not required (subject to change)

Patient Population

• Post-procedure cardiac care (catheterizations, stents, pacemakers, ICDs, ablations)
• STEMI/NSTEMI identification and care
• Carotid endarterectomy
• Sepsis management
• Neurological cases (CVAs, seizures, possible TBI)
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum 2 years solid Step Down experience plus 1 prior travel contract OR 5 years solid Step Down experience if no travel experience
• Recent EPIC charting experience (checkoff class required)
• Strong assessment and critical thinking skills
• Telemetry and 12-lead EKG interpretation (travelers must pass telemetry tests)
• Post heart catheterization care (femoral/TR bands)
• Ability to initiate and titrate drips (Cardizem, Amiodarone, Cardene, Nitro, Insulin, Heparin)
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and strong neuro assessments
• Sepsis care
• Chest tube management
• Peripheral IV insertion

Required Certifications & Licenses

• Current active compact Registered Nurse license
• AHA BLS (Basic Life Support)
• AHA ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support)
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification

Additional Information

• No local candidates within a 40-mile radius will be considered
• Orientation offered bi-weekly starting 4/20 or 5/4
• Strict attendance policy: 3 call-ins may result in termination
• Unit manager has over 20 years of experience with low turnover rates in 2024

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity for experienced Step Down RNs comfortable with cardiac and neuro patient populations in a fast-paced, blended unit setting.