PCU Registered Nurse
Anchorage, Alaska
Providence Alaska Medical Center

Job Opportunity: PCU Registered Nurse (Travel/Contract)

Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Assignment Length: 13 weeks
Start Date: ASAP
Shift: Night Shift, 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (7:00 PM - 7:30 AM)
Guaranteed Hours: 60 hours per 2 weeks (may be called off for 1 shift per 2 weeks)
Experience Required: Minimum 1 year in specialty
First Time Travelers: Accepted
Local Candidates: Not accepted (must live at least 50 miles from facility)
On-Call: Not required
Weekend Coverage: May be more frequent than every other weekend, based on staffing needs
Floating: Required within scope to lower acuity units including renal care, neuro, and medical-surgical

Unit Information

• Stepdown unit from ICU with diverse patient populations across multiple disciplines
• Patient ratios: 1 RN to 4 patients, 1 CNA to 6 patients
• Utilizes a Co-Care/Virtual Nursing Model: bedside RN, virtual RN, and CNA per patient
• Virtual RN supports admissions, discharges, rounding, education, care plans, and safety rounds remotely
• Patient population includes:

  • Cardiac cases (CHF, MI, post-TAVR/MVR, pacemakers, arrhythmias, ACS)
  • Respiratory cases (COVID, flu, COPD, asthma exacerbations, trach patients >24h post-placement, chronic home ventilators)
  • Neuro and renal overflow patients
  • Complex medical-surgical patients requiring higher monitoring (e.g., alcohol withdrawal, GI bleeds)
• Able to manage high flow nasal cannula and BiPAP

Required Licenses and Certifications

• Must have Alaska RN license in hand for auto-offer; license pending accepted if application can be completed within 48 hours of signing
• Certifications required:

  • BLS (Basic Life Support)
  • ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
  • NIH Stroke Scale Certification (NIHSS)
• Additional certifications may be required per unit details

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Alaska
• Minimum 1 year of Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience within the last year
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• BLS certification issued by American Heart Association or Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation
• ACLS certification
• NIH Stroke Scale Certification (NIHSS)

Background and Credentialing Requirements

• Government-issued photo ID (Driver’s License or State ID)
• Social Security Card (as applicable)
• Background check within 90 days covering all locations lived/worked in past 7 years; updated annually
• Education verification for nursing degree (international education requires diploma/transcript)
• NURSYS license verification required for all RNs
• Drug screening: 9-panel within 12 months (instant acceptable)
• References: Minimum 2 references covering 1 year of employment in comparable specialty/setting within last 3 years
• Employment application covering at least last 5 years
• Skills checklist updated annually for applicable units
• Physical exam within 1 year, signed by MD, NP, PA, or DO, indicating ability to work with or without accommodation
• Immunizations and health documents:

  • TDAP within 10 years (declination accepted)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 12 months, updated annually
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination or positive titer
  • Hepatitis B vaccination or signed declination (Alaska placements require positive titer and vaccine series)
  • Varicella vaccination or positive titer
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season
  • COVID vaccination record preferred; declinations accepted with adherence to masking policies
• Respirator safety clearance required annually for travel candidates
• Fit mask testing required annually (travel only)
• Annual regulatory and specialty-specific training modules required via LMS

Additional Information

• Scrub color provided
• Charting system: Epic
• Parking: Free
• Magnet facility, Level II Trauma center
• Total staffed beds: 407
• Time off requests approved individually and must be submitted with application
• No block scheduling accommodation
• Must submit all required documentation prior to start

Summary

This is a 13-week travel contract for a PCU RN position on a night shift in Anchorage, Alaska. The role requires at least 1 year of RN experience, an Alaska RN license (or ability to obtain quickly), and certifications in BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS. The unit cares for a complex patient population including cardiac, respiratory, neuro, renal, and medical-surgical patients. Candidates must be willing to float within scope and meet comprehensive background, health, and credentialing requirements. Local candidates are not eligible. The position offers guaranteed hours with some flexibility in scheduling and requires completion of annual training and health documentation.