PACU Registered Nurse
Saint Louis, Missouri
Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Registered Nurse (RN) - Travel/Contract

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
Facility Type: Short Term Acute Care, Magnet & Teaching Hospital, Level I Trauma Center
Unit: South Campus PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit)
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Schedule & Work Details

• Shift: 4x10 hour shifts, Monday-Friday
• Hours: 12:00 PM - 10:30 PM, rotating start times as needed
• No weekends, no call, no holidays required
• Unit open 24/7 with 38 patient bays
• Average daily census: 70-90 patients
• Patient population: Adults, occasional adolescents, and geriatric patients
• Surgical patients recovered include: Neurosurgery, ENT, plastics, orthopedics, thoracic, vascular, trauma, general, colorectal, GYN, urological, electrophysiology, interventional radiology, and transplant
• Does NOT recover open heart surgeries or liver transplants
• Unit has its own Patient Care Technician (PCT) and transport team
• Night shift requires learning pre-op patient workup
• Floating within scope to meet facility needs is required
• Block scheduling is NOT accommodated
• Local candidates not accepted (must live at least 75 miles from facility)
• Pending licenses accepted
• Return to Office (RTO) restrictions: No more than 7 days
• Guaranteed hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks (cancelled shifts must be regular shift length)

Experience & Skills Required

• Minimum 2-3 years Level 1 ICU experience required (Level 2 ICU experience considered)
• Critical care experience required
• Skills:

  • Inpatient care
  • Level I Trauma Center experience
  • Phase I PACU
  • Dysrhythmia recognition and management
  • Blood product administration
  • Phlebotomy
  • Starting IVs and IV vasopressors
  • ICP (Intracranial Pressure) monitoring
  • Care of ventilated patients
  • General critical care nursing

Certifications Required

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• Other certifications may be required depending on unit (e.g., PALS, NRP, TNCC, CPI) - check unit-specific requirements

Licensure & Compliance

• Missouri RN license required (NURSYS verification required)
• Pending licenses accepted
• Background checks required including:

  • Criminal background check (7-year search)
  • EPLS/GSA/SAM quarterly checks
  • HHS/OIG quarterly checks
  • State-specific searches and exclusions
• Education verification required (highest nursing education)
• Drug testing required within 1 year of start and must remain valid during assignment
• Physical exam required within 1 year of start
• Fit mask testing required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and health documents required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray (with yearly questionnaire)
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination
  • Flu vaccination or approved exemption required during flu season
• Facility-specific documents required prior to start:

  • HIPAA Acknowledgement
  • Latex Allergy Questionnaire
  • Confidentiality Form
  • Regulatory Compliance Education (annual)
  • Hand Hygiene Policy
  • Fingernail Policy
  • Dress Code Policy

Additional Information

• Two professional references required (supervisors preferred)
• Unit-specific competency exams required and must be updated annually (e.g., medication, dysrhythmia/EKG)
• Must adhere to facility policies and complete all required documentation prior to start
• No on-call or weekend shifts required
• Must be willing to float within scope to other units as needed

This position offers an opportunity to work in a high-acuity, Level I Trauma Center PACU with a diverse surgical patient population, requiring strong critical care skills and certifications.