Telemetry Registered Nurse
Bakersfield, California
Mercy Hospital Downtown

Tele 4SW Nurse Position - Bakersfield, California

Contract Length

• 13 weeks

Unit Information

• 32 beds, all private rooms
• Nurse-to-patient ratios:

  • 1:4 for tele patients
  • 1:5 for MedSurg patients
  • Mixed teams maintain 1:4 ratio

Required Certifications

• BLS (AHA)
• ACLS
• NIHSS (AHA or APEX)

Patient Population / Common Diagnoses

• Acute and chronic medical conditions
• Post-surgical patients including bariatrics and total joints (comfort with this population required)
• Urology, gynecology, podiatry, general surgery
• Stroke patients
• Non-titratable drips
• Potential oncology patients

Experience & Skills

• Minimum 2 years nursing experience required
• Cerner experience preferred
• Must be able to read and interpret all cardiac rhythms (GE monitors used)
• No titration of drips required
• Common set-rate drips: Cardizem, Amiodarone, Heparin

Staffing & Support

• House supervisor available 24/7
• Nurse Manager during business hours
• Nurse Shift Managers plus Charge Nurse or Break Nurse each shift
• CNAs assigned based on census
• Tele/Monitor techs present; RNs read their own strips

Equipment & Respiratory Support

• CPAP or BiPAP per RT and MD order
• No ventilators on unit

Scheduling & Shifts

• 12-hour shifts: 7:00 AM - 7:30 PM and 7:00 PM - 7:30 AM
• Every shift includes a huddle at shift start (7:00 AM and 7:00 PM)
• Weekend requirement: 4 weekend shifts in a 4-week schedule

  • Weekend days: Fri/Sat for nights, Sat/Sun for days
• Holiday requirement: Minimum 1 major and 1 minor holiday
• No call required, but may be placed on standby with 30-minute response time if called in

Floating Requirements

• Travelers are first to float
• Possible float locations:

  • Mercy Downtown (approx. 6.5 miles away)
  • Any MS Tele unit
  • ICU for MedSurg Tele patients
  • ER for MedSurg Tele holds

Dress Code

• Navy blue scrubs required
• Undershirts must be navy, white, or black
• Scrub jackets must be navy
• No hoodies, sweatshirts, or sweat jackets allowed

Orientation

• 1-2 shifts with a preceptor

Additional Notes

• Warm and welcoming staff
• Must uphold evidence-based practices including bedside shift report, intentional hourly rounding, and medication teaching with side effect education
• Fast-paced unit with high admission and discharge volume due to surgical cases
• Strict attendance policy; punctuality is mandatory
• Night shifts, every other weekend (EOW), and first to float