Observation Unit Registered Nurse
Marquette, Michigan
UP Health System Marquette

Travel RN Opportunity – Observation Unit Nurse

Location: Marquette, Michigan
Specialty: Registered Nurse (RN) – Observation Unit
Employment Type: Travel
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Facility & Unit Overview

• 225-bed specialty care hospital with multiple specialty centers including Heart & Vascular, Cancer, Brain & Spine, Rehab, Behavioral Health, Digestive Health, Bariatric Medicine & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Pediatrics
• Observation Unit: 10 beds, adult patients only (>18 years)
• Trauma Level: 2
• Patient Ratios: Approximately 1:5 (no defined ratios)
• Equipment: Cardiac monitor
• Electronic Health Record (EHR): Cerner
• Shift: 5 days / 5 nights, 12-hour shifts
• Weekly Guaranteed Hours: 72 hours (0.9 FTE)
• Weekend and holiday work required
• Float to Medical, Cardiac, Neuro-Ortho units required
• No mandated call requirements

Role Summary

The Observation Unit Nurse provides high-quality, patient-centered nursing care for patients requiring short-term evaluation and treatment (typically 24–48 hours) to determine admission or safe discharge. The role involves rapid assessment, frequent reassessment, care coordination, and timely intervention for diverse medical and surgical conditions in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform timely and comprehensive initial and frequent patient assessments
• Implement and adjust care plans based on provider orders and clinical judgment
• Administer medications, treatments, IV therapies, and diagnostic preparation per protocol
• Monitor vital signs, labs, and diagnostic results; report changes promptly
• Provide patient education on diagnosis, treatment, medications, and discharge instructions
• Coordinate care with physicians, case management, and multidisciplinary teams
• Document assessments, interventions, and patient responses accurately in EHR
• Facilitate admission, transfer, and discharge workflows efficiently
• Support safe transitions of care including follow-up appointments and patient teaching
• Respond to urgent situations and perform emergency interventions within scope of practice
• Maintain compliance with infection control, patient safety, hospital policies, and regulatory requirements
• Participate in performance improvement activities

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Registered Nurse (RN) license
• Certifications: BLS, ACLS, NIH Stroke Scale Competency, Telemetry/ECG Competency
• Preferred Certifications: TNCC, ENPC (optional)
• Minimum 2 years of experience in medical/surgical nursing (higher of 1 year med/surg and 2 years specialty experience)
• Preferred experience with telemetry
• Must be able to float to Medical, Cardiac, Neuro-Ortho units
• Prior travel experience is not explicitly required

Patient Population & Common Diagnoses

• Adult patients only (>18 years)
• Common conditions include chest pain, asthma exacerbation, transient ischemic attack (TIA), abdominal pain, urinary issues, blood sugar issues, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (DVT/PE), cellulitis, post-procedural monitoring, minor trauma

Additional Information

• Dress code: Galaxy blue scrubs
• No guarantee on block scheduling
• Orientation is bi-weekly

This position is ideal for experienced RNs comfortable in a fast-paced observation unit environment, with strong assessment skills and the ability to manage diverse adult patient populations.