Cardiac Telemetry RN
Seattle, Washington
Swedish Medical Center - Cherry Hill Campus

Job Opportunity: Cardiac Telemetry Registered Nurse

Location: Seattle, Washington
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit & Patient Population

• Surgical Cardiac Telemetry Unit
• Patient types include myocardial infarction, rule out MI, primary arrhythmias, pre/post open-heart surgery, vascular surgery, coronary artery disease, heart failure, pre/post cath lab (with or without interventions), stroke patients with cardiac involvement
• Specialized structural heart support patients (e.g., VAD, TAVR)

Schedule

• Night shift: 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (7:00 PM – 7:30 AM)
• Every other weekend required
• Floating to like units required; flexibility to float is essential
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4 (can be 1:5 at midnight)

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 2 years of experience in Registered Nursing
• Must have surgical telemetry experience including open heart surgery and vascular care (groin and radial band management)
• 2-3 years telemetry experience with NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) competency
• IV skills required
• Optional experience: VAD and TAVR care

Clinical Skills & Procedures

• Breathing treatments, chest tube setup and care
• CPAP/BiPAP and tracheostomy care
• Blood and blood products administration
• Cardioversion/defibrillation and epicardial pacer management
• LVAD care, especially 24-28 hours post open heart surgery
• Telemetry interpretation including dysrhythmia management

Required Certifications

• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) Certification

Licensure

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license valid in Washington State
• Compact license holders are accepted if active and recognized by the facility

Additional Requirements

• Prior travel experience required; first-time travelers are not accepted
• Must be flexible to float to similar units
• Minimum of 2 professional references covering at least 1 year of employment in a comparable specialty or setting
• Employment application covering at least the last 5 years of work history with month/year format for dates
• Skills checklist for the applicable unit, updated annually

Health & Safety Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year of start, signed by MD, NP, PA, or DO, confirming ability to work with or without accommodation
• Fit mask test (respirator clearance) required annually for travel staff
• Immunizations and screenings required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (within 10 years or declination accepted)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 12 months (annual updates required)
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination or positive titer with acceptable alternatives
  • Hepatitis B vaccination or signed declination
  • Varicella vaccination or positive titer with acceptable alternatives
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season
  • COVID-19 vaccination record preferred; declinations accepted with adherence to masking policies
• 9-panel drug screen within 12 months of start (updated drug screen not required if currently working at another facility with less than 30-day gap)

Background & Verification

• Background check within 90 days of start covering all locations lived/worked in past 7 years; must be updated annually
• State-specific searches as required by Washington law
• Education verification required for nursing degree (international education requires diploma/transcript)
• NURSYS license verification required for all RNs
• Work history verification required if exceptions to reference requirements are requested

Training & Competency

• Completion of required competency exams and medication/pharmacology tests as applicable
• Completion of Epic training modules as assigned within orientation week
• Annual completion of regulatory and specialty-specific Workramp training modules
• Color blindness testing if required by unit

Facility Policies

• Floating policy acknowledgment required
• Passport-style badge photo with neutral background required prior to start
• Compliance with all facility-specific and regional regulatory requirements

Requirements / Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Washington State
• Minimum of 2 years telemetry nursing experience, including telemetry experience within the last year
• Completion of at least one travel nursing assignment
• Current ACLS certification
• Current BLS certification issued by the American Heart Association
• NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) certification
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

This position is ideal for experienced cardiac telemetry RNs with prior travel experience who are comfortable working night shifts and floating within similar units. The role demands strong clinical skills in cardiac and vascular care, telemetry interpretation, and post-operative cardiac patient management.