CVICU Registered Nurse
Winston Salem, North Carolina
Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse - CVICU

Location: Winston Salem, North Carolina
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Description

Seeking an experienced Registered Nurse for a Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) position. This role involves caring for patients post open heart surgery and other complex cardiac procedures.

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 2 years of critical care (CC) experience.
• Must have CVICU or open heart experience.
• No first-time travelers accepted (prior travel experience required).
• Skills include:

  • Interpretation and management of dysrhythmias
  • ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation)
  • Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)
  • Post cardiac surgery care (directly from the OR)
  • Pulmonary artery line/Swan Ganz monitoring
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
  • Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD/RVAD)
  • Arterial line management
  • Blood product administration
  • Central line care/management
  • Continuous IV sedation and titration of cardiac drips
  • Care of ventilated patients
  • Interpretation of arterial blood gases (ABGs)
  • Isolation precautions and PPE use

Preferred Skills

• Accessing/managing ports
• Titration of vasoactive drips
• Assisting with chest tube insertion/removal
• BiPAP/CPAP management and maintenance
• High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC)
• Ventilator management

Patient Diagnoses & Unit Details

• Post open heart recovery patients
• Thoracotomies, esophagogastrectomies, and TAVR patients
• Use of CRRT (Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy), Impella, and IABP devices

Shift & Scheduling

• Night shift: 18:45 - 07:15
• 36 hours per week offered
• Target nurse-to-patient ratios: 1:1 at night, 2:1 on weekends
• Weekend requirement: Every other weekend
• Float requirement: Yes
• Scheduling type: Self-scheduling

Orientation & Dress Code

• Hospital orientation during week one; attendance at daily classes required
• Unit orientation times to be confirmed
• Scrubs: Navy, white, or a combination

Required Certifications

• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS)

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in North Carolina
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• Minimum 2 years of critical care experience with a focus on cardiac care, including CVICU experience within the last year
• Prior travel experience with at least one completed travel assignment (no first-time travelers)
• Experience in open heart care and post cardiac surgery patients (directly from the OR)
• Proficient in interpretation and management of dysrhythmias
• Experience with ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation)
• Skilled in Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) management
• Experience with Pulmonary Artery Line/Swan Ganz monitoring
• Knowledge and experience with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) patients
• Experience managing Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD/RVAD)
• Competent in arterial line management and blood product administration
• Skilled in central line care and management
• Experience caring for ventilated patients
• Current certifications: ACLS and BLS issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross, and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification

Compliance & Training Requirements

• Completion of facility-specific orientation and education modules (may require 8-10 hours)
• Medication safety training and competency exams
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam (must score 82% or higher; remediation process in place)
• Annual compliance and mandatory education training
• Facility confidentiality agreement and hospital policies acknowledgment
• Background checks including criminal, education, and state-specific registry verifications

Additional Notes

• Candidates must provide a passport-style photo for badge creation.
• Candidates must complete the facility’s Corp ID process and log into required learning platforms within specified timeframes.
• Candidates must adhere to dress code and professional standards.
• References and employment history documentation required as per agency standards.

This position is ideal for experienced CVICU nurses with prior travel assignments who are comfortable with advanced cardiac care and complex post-surgical patients in a fast-paced ICU environment.