Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse
Kansas City, Missouri
Saint Luke's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse - PCU

Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Description

• Unit: Progressive Care Unit (PCU)
• Patient Ratios: Typically 1:4; may flex to 1:6 occasionally, with travelers expected to take extra patients.
• Experience Required: Minimum 2 years as a Registered Nurse with strong ventilator experience.
• First-time Travelers: Accepted.
• Weekend Requirement: 8 weekend shifts per 6-week schedule period (Friday/Saturday/Sunday combination).
• Floating: Regular floating within scope to different departments, units, and facilities may be required.
• Block Scheduling: Not accommodated.
• Local Candidates: Not accepted; home address must be at least 75 miles from the facility.
• Pending License: Not accepted.
• Return to Office Restrictions: No more than 7 days.
• Guaranteed Hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks.

Patient Population & Special Procedures

• Pulmonary stepdown, intermediate care, ventilated trach patients, COPD, pulmonary patients requiring Airvo, BiPAP, CPAP, respiratory treatments for high acuity patients.
• Special procedures include care involving endobronchial valves and ventilators.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Work Settings: Medical-Surgical/Telemetry, Telemetry, Cardiac Telemetry.
• Cardiac Monitoring & Emergency Response: Interpretation and management of dysrhythmias, telemetry monitoring on unit.
• Gastrointestinal: Feeding tube care and management.
• Genitourinary/Renal: Pre/Post hemodialysis management, renal failure care.
• IV Therapy/Phlebotomy: Accessing ports, blood product administration, central line care/management, peripheral line care/management, PICC line management, starting IVs.
• Medications: Heparin protocols, managing cardiac drips (no titration), PCA, titrating cardiac drips.
• Neurological/Psychiatric: Care for CVA, traumatic brain injury patients.
• Respiratory: Care of ventilated patients, chest tubes (Emerson/Pleur-evac), external CPAP/BiPAP, high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), interpretation of ABGs, nasal cannula, oxygen face masks, non-invasive airway management, tracheostomy management.
• Professional Topics: Isolation precautions.

Certifications Required

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• NIH Stroke Certification (NIHSS)

Licensure

• Must hold an active Registered Nurse (RN) license valid in Missouri.
• Pending licenses are not accepted.

On-Call

• Not required.

Facility & Work Environment

• Tertiary care hospital with 456 staffed beds.
• Recognized as a 5-time Magnet Award recipient.
• Level 1 Trauma Center.
• Charting system: Epic.
• Scrub color: Navy.
• Free parking available.

Compliance & Background Requirements

• Government-issued ID required.
• Criminal background check within 6 months of start, including statewide and nationwide searches.
• Quarterly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks.
• Education verification of highest nursing degree required.
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, including a comprehensive panel.
• Physical exam within 1 year of start.
• Fit mask testing (N95) required and must be renewed annually.
• Immunizations and titers required: Tdap, TB testing (2 negative PPDs or equivalent), Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (with boosters or declination if applicable).
• Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption required during flu season.
• Various facility-specific compliance documents including HIPAA acknowledgment, confidentiality forms, hand hygiene, dress code, and latex allergy questionnaire must be completed prior to start.
• Competency exams including medication/pharmacology, dysrhythmia/EKG, and unit-specific competency exams required and must be updated annually.

References & History

• Two professional references required, preferably supervisors within the last year.
• Employment application and unit-specific skills checklist required within 1 year of start.
• Performance evaluations may be requested but are not mandatory for extensions or per diem.

Additional Notes

• Candidates must be willing to work weekends as required.
• Floating between units and departments is expected.
• No block scheduling accommodations.
• Local candidates within 75 miles are not eligible.
• First-time travel nurses are welcome to apply.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Missouri
• Minimum 2 years of Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience, including experience within the last year
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) / Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification
• Strong ventilator experience
• Experience in Medical-Surgical/Telemetry, Telemetry, and Cardiac Telemetry work settings
• Feeding tube care and management experience
• Pre/Post hemodialysis management experience
• Central line care and management experience
• PICC line management experience
• Experience managing cardiac drips without titration
• Experience titrating cardiac drips
• Care of ventilated patients experience
• Chest tube management experience (Emerson/Pleur-evac)
• Experience with external CPAP/BiPAP devices
• High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) experience
• Non-invasive airway management experience
• Tracheostomy management experience
• Experience with endobronchial valves