Pediatric Stepdown RN
Chicago, Illinois
La Rabida Children's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Pediatric Stepdown Registered Nurse (RN)

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Overview

• Specialty: Pediatric Stepdown RN (PICU experience preferred)
• Unit: Inpatient Unit with 39 beds, caring for patients aged 2 weeks to 18 years
• Patient Population: 50-60% technology dependent (ventilators, tracheostomies, G tubes)
• Acute care unit for children with chronic illnesses; no drips or surgical patients
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:3-4 (1:4 ratio experience required)
• Weekend Requirement: Scheduled every other weekend
• Floating: Clinician may float within scope to meet facility needs
• Block scheduling: Accommodated
• Locals accepted at same rate as travelers
• Pending license accepted with restrictions

Required Experience & Certifications

• Minimum 2 years of specialty experience required
• Prior travel experience: Not accepted for first-timers (first-timers not accepted)
• Illinois RN license required and must be active at time of submission (compact licenses not accepted)
• Certifications required:

  • BCLS (Basic Life Support)
  • PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
• Preferred but not required: ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• Special clinical experience required:

  • Ventilator, tracheostomy, and G tube care experience
  • Meditech charting experience
• Flu vaccine required (medical and religious exemptions accepted)
• COVID vaccination required (exemptions not accepted; booster preferred)

Work Hours & Scheduling

• Guaranteed hours:

  • 36 hours for 3 shifts (12-hour shifts)
  • 48 hours for 4 shifts (12-hour shifts)
  • 40 hours for shifts less than 12 hours (8- or 10-hour shifts)

Facility & Work Environment

• Type: Children’s hospital
• Total staffed beds: 62
• Charting system: Meditech
• Scrub color: Any color, neat and clean; pediatric-themed encouraged
• Parking: Free parking available in shared public lots

Compliance & Documentation Requirements

• Background checks including 7-year history, education verification, sex offender registry, IL Child Abuse/Neglect screening, and others as required by Illinois state regulations
• Drug screening within 30 days prior to start (comprehensive panel)
• Physical exam within 1 year of start date
• Immunizations and titers required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (within 10 years)
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (two vaccinations or positive titer; boosters if low titer)
  • Hepatitis B vaccination series or positive titer
  • Varicella vaccination or positive titer
  • Flu seasonal vaccination (declinations not accepted)
  • COVID vaccination (exemptions not accepted)
• Competency exams and medication/pharmacology tests as applicable
• Orientation and facility-specific training required prior to start

Additional Notes

• This is a unique inpatient unit with a diverse pediatric patient population requiring specialized skills in technology-dependent care
• RTO (Request Time Off) must be approved and included in the contract before the start date; no additions allowed after contract begins

This position is ideal for experienced pediatric stepdown nurses with strong skills in ventilator and tracheostomy care, who hold an active Illinois RN license and are ready to work in a specialized acute care pediatric environment.