Telemetry Registered Nurse
Boise, Idaho
St. Luke's Boise Medical Center

Registered Nurse – Telemetry

Location: Boise, Idaho
Contract Length: 13 weeks (approximately 3 months)
Shift: Days (7:00 AM – 7:00 PM)
Hours per Week: 36 hours

Unit Overview

• Telemetry units on 3rd and 7th floors pool staffing together; floating between these floors is expected.
• 3rd Floor: 20 beds, cardiac focus including post-op open heart, TAVRs, ablations, cath lab patients, pacemakers, and medical telemetry.
• 7th Floor: 35 beds, general telemetry including post-procedural overflow, CHF, sepsis, electrolyte imbalances, post-stroke patients.
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4
• Charge nurse present on each unit, typically does not take patient assignments unless necessary.
• Crisis and resource nurses available in-house if needed.
• CNAs support the units: 3 on 3rd floor, 5 on 7th floor; CNA-to-patient ratio typically 1:8 depending on staffing and census.
• Remote telemetry techs located on 3rd floor; nurses expected to read and interpret telemetry strips twice per shift.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of nursing experience.
• Must have post-procedural cardiac experience (cath lab, ablations, open heart surgery).
• Preferred experience in PCU and Stepdown units.
• Ability to read, interpret, and document telemetry accurately.
• Current BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS certifications required.
• Registered Nurse license appropriate for Idaho.

Clinical Skills & Responsibilities

• Titrate heparin drips; insulin drip experience not required (training provided if needed).
• Manage set-rate cardiac drips including amiodarone, cardizem, dopamine, and dobutamine.
• Assist respiratory therapists as needed; RTs manage high respiratory needs including intermittent high flow, BiPAP, and CPAP.
• Expected to float as needed within telemetry and medical-surgical units at this hospital and sister facilities in nearby cities.

Scheduling & Work Environment

• Schedule typically made 6 weeks in advance; flexibility required to fill staffing gaps.
• Block scheduling not guaranteed; maximum of 5 consecutive shifts.
• Weekend requirement: 5-6 weekend shifts per 6-week schedule (days on Sat/Sun, nights on Fri/Sat).
• Holiday work may be requested but not mandatory for every holiday.
• No regular call or standby; floating is more common.
• Scrub color is flexible; any color scrubs allowed.
• Unit-specific orientation: 2 shifts total (1 shift on each telemetry floor).
• Traveler-friendly environment with leadership supportive of travel nurses; many travelers extend contracts.

Additional Notes

• Floating includes other medical-surgical and telemetry units within the hospital and sister facilities.
• Nurses are expected to maintain flexibility and assist where needed to support patient care and staffing demands.