Travel Med/Surg RN
Phoenix, Arizona
Saint Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

MedSurg 4W Nurse Position - Phoenix, AZ

Contract Length

• 13 weeks

Unit Details

• 22 private rooms
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4-5
• Navy blue scrubs required
• New unit with ongoing development; opportunity to be part of a unified, committed team

Required Certifications & Exams

• BLS required
• Must have Level 1 Trauma experience
• Must pass dysrhythmia (DYS) exam prior to accepting the assignment (2 attempts allowed; failure results in 6-month disqualification)
• Pass/fail SIMs Lab on Foley catheter insertion & central line dressing changes (exceptions for some units)
• Pass/fail exam on day 1 of orientation
• Natural hair color and no facial piercings required
• Men must be clean-shaven for fit test

Experience & Skills

• Recent med/surg experience required
• Charge nurse experience preferred
• Telemetry experience preferred (due to floating requirements)
• No first-time travelers accepted
• Competency in sterile field maintenance, Foley catheter insertion, and central line dressing changes expected
• Must be able to float to tele and other med/surg units

Patient Population & Common Diagnoses

• Post-operative patients
• Sepsis
• Pneumonia
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Various infections

Drip/Titration Information

• Heparin drip titration only
• No cardiac gtts (amiodarone, dopamine, dobutamine, etc.)

Telemetry & Monitoring

• No telemetry on this specific unit, but telemetry skills preferred for floating
• Nurses do not have to read their own strips on this unit

Staffing & Support

• No CNAs or PCTs; a resource RN is available in addition to charge RN
• Respiratory Therapist (RT) assigned to the unit
• House Supervisor available 24/7
• Manager available Monday through Friday

Scheduling & Work Requirements

• Schedule made 4 weeks in advance
• Self-scheduling available
• Weekend requirement: 3 weekend days per pay period (Saturday/Sunday)
• Holiday shifts required as needed
• No call or standby requirement
• Floating required to other med/surg and telemetry units; travelers float first
• ICU nurse ratio is 1:3 (for floating)

Orientation

• 2 shifts of unit-specific orientation with a preceptor

Additional Notes

• Travel team must have their own vehicle
• 50-mile radius rule applies (no local rates)
• 12-hour night shifts
• 4 total weekend shifts per 4 weeks
• Emphasis on competency in sterile technique and nursing skills frequently performed on the unit