IMU/Stepdown RN
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling Hospital

Job Opportunity: IMU Nurse (Intermediate Care Unit)

Location: Wheeling, West Virginia
Unit: Intermediate Care Unit (IMU)
Beds: 30 (14 Private & 16 Semi-private)
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Certifications Required

• ACLS
• BLS
• NIHSS

Experience Requirements

• Specialty: IMU (Intermediate Care Unit)
• Years of Experience: Not explicitly stated; assume standard for IMU nursing roles (confirm with recruiter)
• Prior Travel Experience: Not specified as required

Shift Details

• 12-hour shifts (7:00 AM - 7:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM)
• Must be ready to start by 6:45 AM/PM
• Self-scheduling allowed with 4 requested days off per month
• Weekend shifts required:

  • Nights: 4 weekend night shifts per 4-week schedule
  • Days: 4 weekend day shifts per 4-week schedule, but no true straight day shifts; day shift nurses must work minimum 3 night shifts per 4-week schedule (not necessarily on weekends)
• Holidays: Flexibility required, but holiday shifts are usually covered by permanent staff

Staffing Ratios & Team

• Nurse-to-patient ratio goal: 1:4 (usually 1:5, occasionally 1:6)
• Charge nurses take full patient assignments on all shifts
• Clinical Assistant support: 2 twelve-hour shifts on floor with patient assignment, 2 eight-hour shifts in office
• Nurse Aides: 2-3 CNAs with ratios of 1:10-12
• Floating required to Telemetry or MedSurg units (ratios up to 1:6 or 1:7 in MedSurg, rarely) and Pandemic Unit

Patient Care & Responsibilities

• Common diagnoses: Chest pain, rule out MI, CHF, arrhythmias, post pacemaker, pre/post cardiac catheterizations (manage radial bands & remove but do not pull sheaths), groin checks, overflow intermediate care patients
• Manage patients on Tikosyn therapy
• Rarely manage chest tubes
• RN responsibilities include:

  • Reading and interpreting telemetry strips (despite Tele Tech support)
  • Titrating drips: Amiodarone, Cardizem, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Labetolol, Nitro, Heparin, occasionally Lasix
• Respiratory equipment managed by Respiratory Therapists (RT)
• IV team performs all IV starts; IV team available 24/7
• RT and Pharmacy available in-house 24/7

Orientation

• Day 1: 4 hours HR, 8 hours unit orientation with preceptor
• Day 2: Unit orientation with preceptor
• After Day 2: Independent practice

Additional Information

• Dress code: Navy blue scrubs (top & bottom), navy scrub jackets, no hoodies
• EMR system: Sunrise
• Telemetry monitors: Nihon Kohden
• Must provide unexpired driver’s license upon submission
• Licensing issues must be disclosed at time of submission

This position requires a flexible nurse comfortable with intermediate care acuity patients, telemetry monitoring, titrating drips, and floating between units as needed.