Medical Surgical RN
Columbus, Georgia
Piedmont Columbus Regional - Midtown

Medical Surgical Registered Nurse Travel/Contract Job – Columbus, Georgia

Position Overview

• Specialty: Registered Nurse (Medical Surgical)
• Patient Population: Adults to Geriatrics
• Shift: Day shift, 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (6:45 AM – 7:15 PM)
• Hours per Week: 36
• Unit: Medical Surgical (Med Surg)
• Unit Size & Ratio: 28 beds, average daily census 24, nurse-to-patient ratio 1:6
• Electronic Systems: Epic, Pyxis, SBAR
• Scrub Color: Navy Blue
• Floating: Yes, within scope of practice and across campuses as needed
• Call Requirements: None
• Weekend Schedule: Every other weekend
• Holiday Work: Required to work major holidays during assignment as follows:

  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving/Black Friday
  • Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
  • New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day
  • If 1 major holiday falls in assignment, must work it; if 2, must work both; if 3, must work 2 of them
• Return to Orientation (RTO): Maximum 7 days

Contract Length

• 8 weeks

Requirements/Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Georgia
• Minimum 2 years of Medical Surgical nursing experience
• Medical Surgical experience within the last year
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC)
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

Required Certifications & Licenses

• Certifications:

  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) may be required depending on unit (check specialty requirements)
• Other certifications (PALS, NRP, EFM, NIH Stroke) may be required depending on specialty/unit but not specified for this role

Clinical Skills & Patient Diagnoses

• Experience with Med Surg patient diagnoses including but not limited to:

  • Sepsis, hypertensive emergency, chest pain, pneumonia, COVID-19, diabetes
  • Pleural effusion, osteomyelitis, anemia, small bowel obstruction
  • Acute kidney injury, end-stage renal disease, peritonitis, GI bleed, syncope
  • Atrial fibrillation, cholecystitis, appendicitis, cancer
  • Hip fractures, spinal stenosis, spinal decompression, hysterectomy, TURP, cystoscopy
• Peritoneal dialysis with manual exchanges performed by nurses
• Patients requiring certain invasive procedures (paracentesis, thoracentesis, lumbar puncture, permcath placement, percutaneous drain placement) are transferred off-unit

Compliance & Orientation

• Full compliance with onboarding requirements is mandatory to start on time
• Non-compliance results in a 2-week delay due to bi-weekly orientation scheduling
• Number of non-billable orientation hours depends on contract length (e.g., 8 hours for 8-week assignment)

Background & Documentation Requirements

• Valid photo ID (Driver’s License or State ID)
• Background check completed within 30 days prior to start, including:

  • County and national criminal searches
  • Sex offender registry check
  • Education verification of related degree (can be pending with proof running)
• Education verification required; official transcripts/diploma or verified license acceptable if degree verification is delayed
• State RN license verification within 30 days prior to start
• Annual NURSYS verification within 30 days prior to start
• References: 2 clinical references required
• Work history verification of most recent employer required (can be pending with proof running)
• Skills checklist updated within 12 months

Health & Immunization Requirements

• Physical exam within 12 months prior to start (required by agency, not client)
• Negative TB test (PPD, QGold, or TSpot) within 12 months or negative chest x-ray if prior positive TB
• TB questionnaire required annually regardless of TB status
• Immunizations or positive titers required for:

  • Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella (2 MMR vaccines or positive titer)
  • Varicella (2 vaccines or positive titer)
  • Hepatitis B surface antibody titer or signed declination
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap highly recommended but not required
• Seasonal flu vaccination or declination required during flu season (Nov 1 – Mar 31)
• Negative 10-panel drug screen within 60 days prior to start (instant drug screen acceptable)

Competency Exams & Testing

• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam required by agency
• Color blindness test required; alternative assessment available for blood collection tasks
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam required for Telemetry and related units (not specifically stated for this role but may apply if floated)
• General competency exam required by agency

Additional Notes

• Locals accepted at same rate
• Floating may include other campuses within the system as needed
• No call responsibilities
• Dress and professional appearance policy must be reviewed and acknowledged
• Code of conduct must be reviewed and signed prior to start

This position offers a structured travel nursing opportunity on a Med Surg unit caring for adult to geriatric patients with a variety of complex medical diagnoses, requiring solid clinical skills, flexibility to float, and compliance with comprehensive onboarding and health requirements.