Mother-Baby / Postpartum Registered Nurse
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston Area Medical Center Women and Children's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Mother-Baby / Couplet Care / Post Partum Registered Nurse

Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit Overview

• 21 private room Mother/Baby unit caring for postpartum moms, stable antepartum patients, and well or mildly ill newborns.
• Nurses work both the Mother/Baby floor and the Newborn Nursery (NBN).
• Newborn care includes management of mild Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), hypoglycemia, cardiac monitoring, phototherapy, IV antibiotics, and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) babies.
• Approximately 2800 deliveries per year.
• Breastfeeding support available with certified lactation specialists on staff.
• Team includes Nurse Manager, Clinical Management Coordinator, Charge Nurses, RNs, LPNs, Nurse externs, Health Unit Coordinator, and Nursing Assistants.

Schedule & Staffing

• Shift: Day shift, 3 shifts of 12 hours each (7:00 AM – 7:00 PM)
• Workdays: Weekdays with every other weekend required
• Ratios: 1:6 for day shifts; 1:8 for night shifts
• Guaranteed hours options: 36 or 48 hours per week (discuss during interview)
• Orientation: Held every other week on Thursday and Friday before reporting to unit
• No call requirement
• Floating within scope of practice may be required

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid RN license in West Virginia
• Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing
• Minimum 1 year of Maternal-Newborn experience within the last year
• Postpartum nursing experience
• One completed travel assignment
• BLS (Basic Life Support) issued by American Heart Association, current before start
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification
• Experience with Non-Stress Test (NST)
• Proficient in use of Electronic Gestational Monitoring (EGM)
• Ability to maintain central lines (CVC/PICC)
• Administration and management of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) babies going through withdrawal
• Valid driver’s license

Certifications

• BLS (Basic Life Support) – AHA only, must be current before start
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) – preferred and may be required
• CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor) – preferred
• ACLS, PALS, and other certifications may be required depending on unit assignment (verify during qualification)

Clinical Skills & Competencies

• Antepartum and postpartum care
• Level 1 Nursery care including newborn assessments and interventions
• Newborn care skills:

  • Assist with circumcision and post-op site assessment
  • Car seat education
  • Cord care
  • Discharge teaching to parents
  • Infant identification
  • IV antibiotics administration
  • Metabolic screening
  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome management
  • Phototherapy
  • Thermoregulation
• Use of EGM (electronic gestational monitoring)
• Administration of blood and blood products
• Central line (CVC/PICC) maintenance
• Peripheral IV start and maintenance
• Medication administration including anticonvulsants, antihypertensives, heparin, and Pitocin
• NST (Non-Stress Test), reflex checks, edema assessment, clonus

Submission & Documentation Requirements

• Candidate profile with work history
• Specialty-specific skills checklist (annual completion required)
• Minimum 2 manager or charge nurse references within past 2 years (1 reference required from manager/supervisor/charge nurse within 1 year of start)
• RN license verification (NURSYS verification within 30 days of start)
• Valid driver’s license
• Social Security card (legible)
• Background check: 7-year criminal history within 30 days of start, including SSN trace, counties, sex offender search, national and international searches if applicable
• Drug screen within 30 days of start, including a comprehensive panel (no placeholders or pending results accepted)
• Physical exam within 1 year of start, signed by a licensed provider, confirming good health and no physical limitations
• Annual fit mask testing (N95) required; accommodations available if candidate fails fit test
• Immunizations and titers:

  • Tdap (required, no declinations accepted; exemptions allowed with approved documentation)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 3 months of start
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – 2 vaccines or positive titers required; boosters if titers negative or equivocal
  • Hepatitis B vaccination or immunity documentation required
  • Varicella vaccination or immunity documentation required
• Flu vaccine required during flu season unless approved exemption is granted
• COVID-19 vaccine not mandatory; proof of vaccination or signed declination accepted

Orientation & Training

• Two-day orientation (Thursday and Friday) including Cerner Infusion Management training
• Completion of required inservice training modules and pass/fail testing (EKG, medication calculation, blood administration) prior to start
• Stroke education CEUs may be required depending on unit assignment
• Review of facility-specific policies including blood administration, dress code, time and attendance, and vaccination exemption forms

Additional Information

• No return-to-perm restrictions, but permanent employees cannot return as travelers for 2 years after last permanent day worked
• Scrub colors: Royal Blue/White or combination
• Charting systems: Cerner, Accudose, SBAR
• Free parking available for travelers
• 100-mile radius rule applies for travel distance; exceptions require facility approval
• Open to block schedule requests (discuss during interview)

This position is ideal for experienced Mother-Baby RNs with prior travel contract experience seeking a supportive, well-staffed unit with a focus on comprehensive newborn and postpartum care.