Travel Nurse RN - Med Surg
Chicago, Illinois
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County

Registered Nurse - Medical Surgical

Location: Chicago, Illinois Employment type: Travel/Contract Contract length: 13 weeks Shift: Night, 3x12 hours (7:00 PM to 7:30 AM). No block scheduling. Hours: 12 per day, 36 per week (guaranteed) Call requirements: N/A

Schedule and Time Off

• Weekends: every other weekend (2 weekends per month)
• Time off requests (RTO): maximum 5 days, no more than 2 consecutive
• No RTO on holidays, the day before or after a holiday, or weekends

Float Expectations

• This is a mandatory float facility. Staff must float within scope at the facility's discretion, including mid-shift.

Required Qualifications

• Valid, active RN license in Illinois, verified through NURSYS (pending licenses not accepted)
• 2 years of recent acute care Med/Surg experience, including Med/Surg experience within the last year
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) issued by the American Heart Association (also required for Med/Surg RNs)
• BLS (Basic Life Support) issued by the American Heart Association
• NIHSS (NIH Stroke Scale) certification, required for Med/Surg RNs and updated annually. Accepted issuers: AHA, Apex, BlueCloud/AAMC.
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) / Associate Degree in Nursing

Preferred

• Local candidates (within 75 miles of the facility) are preferred and accepted.

Pre-Start Requirements

• Background: Background check within 12 months of start, covering the past 7 years, with all aliases included and updated annually. EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks within 30 days of start. An international background check is required within 1 year of start if the candidate has lived or worked internationally in the past 7 years.
• Physical exam: Within 12 months of start, updated annually, signed by a PA, NP, DO, or MD.
• Immunizations and screening:

  • Tdap within 10 years, or a signed declination within 12 months of start
  • Negative QuantiFERON-Gold or TSPOT within 12 months of start (PPDs not accepted)
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella: 2 MMR vaccines or a positive titer
  • Hepatitis B: vaccine series, titer, or signed declination within 1 year of start
  • Varicella: 2 vaccines or a positive titer
  • Flu vaccine or medical/religious exemption required during flu season (10/01 to 5/4). Documentation deadline: 11/30.
• Fit testing: N95 fit mask within 1 year of start, updated annually. Candidates who cannot pass fit testing need an approved exemption for onsite PAPR use.
• Drug screen: Negative 9-panel drug screen within 90 days of start, updated annually. Marijuana is not required.
• Competencies (within 12 months of start): Medication/pharmacology competency exam, competency exam, and online color blindness test. Skills checklist updated annually.
• Facility modules: Online EMR training modules (up to 2 hours) must be completed on a computer before start, with proof of completion submitted.
• Documentation: Complete employment application or resume, facility HIS form, medication dispensing system form (select facilities), rules of behavior acknowledgment, and resource guide (required for hospital candidates on or after 10/16/2026). Forms must use the candidate's legal name.
• Identification: Government-issued photo ID

Work Environment

• Level 1 Trauma Center
• Charting system: Cerner
• Scrub color: any color, not provided