Stepdown RN
New Haven, Connecticut
Yale-New Haven Hospital

Registered Nurse – Step Down

Overview

• Location: New Haven, Connecticut
• Employment type: Travel/Contract
• Contract length: 13 weeks
• Start date: 12/18/2026
• Facility type: Short-term acute care, Level I Trauma Center
• Total staffed beds: 1,567
• Charting system: Epic (software familiarity, not a credential)
• Scrub color: Royal blue

Schedule and Assignment

• Shift: Day, 3x12 hours (7:00 to 19:30), 12 hours per day, 36 hours per week
• Weekends: Every other weekend
• Patient ratio: Average 1:5 to 1:6
• Guaranteed hours: Yes
• On-call: Not required
• Block schedule: Not accommodated
• Float: Clinician may float within scope to meet facility needs
• First-time travelers: Accepted
• Return-to-office restrictions: Return-to-office periods greater than 7 days require approval

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Connecticut
• 2 years of stepdown experience
• Stepdown experience within the last year
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification with at least 2 CE hours from an acceptable provider (AACN, AHA, APEX, Blue Cloud, or HealthStream)
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) / Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Other Certifications Listed in Source

Confirm unit requirements before qualifying candidates:

• ACLS (AHA or ARC only)
• PALS (AHA or ARC only)
• NRP (AHA; required for NICU)
• EFM (Electronic Fetal Monitoring)

Health and Screening Requirements

• Physical exam: Within 12 months of start
• TB screening: Negative T-Spot or QuantiFERON-Gold within 6 months of start, or two negative PPDs (second may be pending at start) within 12 months. TB questionnaire updated annually.
• Drug screen: 10-panel drug screen within 12 months of start (rapid screen accepted; panels cannot be combined)
• Immunizations and titers: MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), hepatitis B, and varicella documentation (titer, vaccine series, or physician-documented history). Medical exemptions require facility approval.
• Influenza vaccine: Vaccine or medical/religious exemption required during flu season (09/01 to 03/31). Declinations are not allowed. Deadline: 12/01.
• Tdap: Highly preferred, not required. Declination accepted.
• COVID vaccine series: Preferred
• Fit test (N95): Within 12 months of start and updated annually. Candidate must be clean shaven for fit testing.

Background and Verification

• Criminal background check: 7-year check within 12 months of start, updated annually
• Exclusion screening (EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG): Within 30 days of start
• Primary source license verification and NURSYS verification: Within 30 days of start
• Education verification: Highest level of education required. Diplomas are not accepted, and education must be from an accredited school. International candidates need a foreign equivalency evaluation and official transcript.
• Work history: Verification of the last 7 years of employment. Attestations are not accepted.
• Identification: Photo ID matching legal name on the first day

Training and Orientation

• Required training modules with attestations (completed before or at orientation):

  • Language services
  • CAUTI education
  • Suicide risk and environmental assessment
  • Mobile heartbeat alarm
  • CLABSI prevention
  • Preventing pressure injury
  • Patient transportation with oxygen
  • Automated medication dispensing system (Pyxis)
  • Infusion pump interoperability (Baxter)
  • Patient bedside rounding
  • Ventricular assist device awareness
  • Blood administration (annual update)
  • 21st Century Cures Act
  • eCart
  • Chaperone policy
  • Fire safety
  • ED handbook (ED/ER RNs only)
• New employee orientation module: Copy due by end of day on start date
• EPIC testing: Pre-start testing applies to ER RNs with EPIC experience. Inpatient RNs without marked EPIC experience are enrolled in onsite EPIC training unless they pass a test-out.

References and History

• Professional references: 2 required within 3 years of start (travel and acute care)
• Employment application: 7-year work history with no gaps greater than 90 days