Stepdown RN
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sanford USD Medical Center Sioux Falls

RN - Pulmonary

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota Contract Length: 13 weeks Shift: Day/Night rotating, 12-hour shifts, 36 hours per week Schedule: Every other weekend and every other holiday

Required Qualifications

• BLS and ACLS certification
• South Dakota or compact state RN license
• Required clinical skills: BiPAP, CPAP, heated high flow, oxygen titration, moderate sedation, telemetry, and medical-surgical patient care
• Must note in the submission if the clinician has ever worked for the health system. If so, the previous end date must be at least 6 months before the submission date.
• Must badge in and out at the facility

Preferred Qualifications

• Specialty certification

Unit Overview

• Pulmonary Unit: 30-bed medical-surgical unit and 8-bed progressive care unit (IMC trained), providing fundamental critical care experience in mechanical ventilation.
• Capacity: The unit can flex up to 41 beds depending on COVID volume. Units include a 10-bed non-COVID med-surg wing, an 8-bed progressive care wing, and 10-bed C and D wings for COVID and non-COVID patients.
• Nurse-to-patient ratios: 1:3 in Pulmonary Acute for IMC RNs; 1:4 or 1:5 on day shifts; 1:5 or 1:6 on night shifts.
• Average length of stay: 4 days on one unit and 9 days in Acute.
• Patient diagnoses: Pneumonia, COPD, congestive heart failure, COVID-19, pulmonary embolism, and complex cases.
• Procedures and care: Oxygen therapy, IV medications, moderate sedation monitoring during bronchoscopies, chest tubes, tracheostomies, postoperative care, non-invasive and mechanical ventilation, and cardiac monitoring.

Staffing and Float

• Float to other med-surg units is possible. Travelers are the first to be reassigned to another department.
• IMC travelers work in both the IMC and med-surg units. Med-surg travelers work only in the med-surg unit.

Equipment

• Epic documentation
• Alaris IV pumps
• Acudose medication dispensing

Orientation

• Day 1: Competency validation on arrival for telemetry and mechanical ventilation, with nurse educators. Online modules, self-assessment, and core competency validations from 0700 to 1930.
• Day 2: Shift with a preceptor, including patient care, unit tour, POCT testing, and remaining facility modules, from 0700 to 1930.
• Day 3: 12-hour shift on the unit.

Dress Code

• Navy blue scrubs (the source also lists blue scrubs as the dress code)