PACU Nurse
Ketchum, Idaho
St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center

Job Opportunity: PACU Nurse - Perioperative Care (Floor 2)

Location: Ketchum, Idaho
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Overview

A hospital in Idaho is seeking a PACU nurse for a 10-week assignment starting ASAP. Some call shifts are possible.

Unit Details

• Unit: Perioperative Care - Floor 2
• Beds: 14 total (3 PACU bays, 11 interchangeable bays for pre-op, same day discharge, and Endoscopy)
• Phase 1 and Phase 2 recovery areas covered
• Nurse-to-patient ratios follow ASPAN guidelines
• EMR system: Epic

Required Certifications

• BLS
• ACLS
• PALS

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 2 years of PACU experience preferred
• Will consider candidates with 1 year PACU experience if they have many years of inpatient nursing experience
• Must have worked with Phase 1 recovery and have good general surgical recovery experience
• Limited Endoscopy experience is acceptable
• C-section experience is preferred but not required
• Open to first-time travel nurses

Patient Population & Common Cases

• Orthopedics: total joints (inpatient and outpatient), sports medicine, ortho trauma
• General surgery, gynecology, c-sections
• Endoscopy
• Occasional plastics and neuro/spinal cases
• Pediatric patients: older peds for ortho trauma, some younger dental peds

Shift & Scheduling Details

• Start times between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM
• Shift lengths: 8 or 10 hours (12-hour shifts are rare)
• No self-scheduling
• Night call scheduled from 6 PM to 7 AM, typically 5-6 days per month
• Weekend call is 24 hours from Friday 6 PM to Monday 7 AM, assigned on a rotation basis
• Holiday call may be assigned if holidays fall during the contract
• Call response time: 30 minutes; staff must remain within 30 minutes of the hospital when on call

Additional Information

• Travelers will be assigned to pre-op, PACU (Phase 1 and Phase 2), pre-Endoscopy, and post-Endoscopy areas (considered standard assignment, not floating)
• Charge nurses and Assistant Nurse Managers are scheduled Monday-Friday
• Two CNAs available Monday-Friday to assist with HUC, CNA duties, and room turnovers; RNs expected to assist with room cleaning and daily chores
• Respiratory therapy available as needed
• No ICU patients recover in PACU; patients requiring higher level care or ventilation remain in OR/PACU with anesthesia until transfer
• RNs are responsible for reading cardiac strips
• Scrubs are provided
• Orientation: 3-5 shifts with a preceptor covering unit-specific orientation, unit norms, and system values

Prior Travel Experience

• No explicit requirement for prior travel experience; open to first-time travelers

Notes

• Facility enforces a 50-mile radius rule for candidates’ permanent address

This position is ideal for experienced PACU nurses comfortable with a variety of surgical recovery cases and flexible scheduling including call shifts.