Emergency Room Travel Nurse
Bakersfield, California
Mercy Hospital Downtown

ER Nurse Travel Opportunity - Bakersfield, California

Position Overview

• Seeking an experienced ER nurse for a travel contract.
• Minimum 2 full years of ER nursing experience required.
• Must hold active BLS, ACLS, PALS, NIHSS certifications, and a California nursing license.
• Primary role is in the Emergency Room with typical ER patient cases and occasional MedSurg Tele holds.
• Must be very teamwork oriented.
• This is a primary job commitment; no accommodation for other work schedules.

Contract Length

• 13 weeks

Facility & Unit Details

• 21-bed Fast Track staffed with midlevels and LVNs.
• Primary Stroke Center.
• Rarely holds psychiatric patients ("5150 psych holds") longer than 12 hours.
• Utilizes a Mobile Evaluation Team (MET Team).
• Patient volume can vary significantly (e.g., 115 patients one day, 175 the next).

Certifications Required

• BLS
• ACLS
• PALS
• NIHSS
• California RN License

Staffing & Ratios

• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4 (unless ICU patient, then 1:2).
• Charge Nurse: Shift manager and resource nurse available.
• Nurse aides: ED Techs (EMT or aides from other units).
• Respiratory Therapist available 24/7.
• Pharmacy available 24/7 with Omnicell system.
• Hospitalist or Intensivist in-house; only MDs work in the ER.
• No dedicated IV team.

Work Schedule & Shifts

• 12-hour shifts.
• Self-scheduling with manager final approval.
• Schedules set in 4-week blocks; block scheduling not allowed.
• Weekend requirement: 4 weekend shifts in a 4-week schedule.

  • Weekend shifts are Fri/Sat for nights and Sat/Sun for days.
• Holidays: 1 major and 1 minor holiday required.
• Floating may occur between two nearby facilities (6.5 miles apart).

  • Floating notice: 2 hours prior to shift if before start; mid-shift floating possible.
• Call/standby: Must report within 30 minutes if called in.

Orientation

• 2 shifts orientation at primary campus.
• 1 shift orientation at secondary campus.

Additional Information

• Scrub color: Navy blue scrubs required.

  • Scrub jackets must be navy.
  • Undershirts under scrubs must be navy, white, or black.
• Telemetry monitoring via Phillips.
• Ventilator patients present.
• Must be comfortable with fluctuating patient volumes and diverse ER cases.
• Night shifts, every other weekend (EOW), and first to float.