Trauma Stepdown (PCU) Registered Nurse
Denton, Texas
Medical City Denton

Travel RN - Trauma Stepdown Unit

Location: Denton, Texas
Employment Type: Travel Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Unit Information

• Unit: Surgical Trauma (25 beds)
• Staffing: 44 Full-Time Equivalents (57 total staff)
• Shift Staffing:

  • Day Shift: 1 charge nurse, 6 RNs, 3 techs, 1 secretary
  • Night Shift: 1 charge nurse, 6 RNs, 3 techs
• Patient Ratios: Typically 1:4, up to 1:5 for stepdown patients
• Floor: 5th floor, Main Building
• EMR System: Meditech
• On-Call Requirement: None
• Floating: May float to Progressive Care Unit or Heart and Vascular Unit

Required Certifications & Licenses

• ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support)
• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• NIH Certification
• Registered Nurse License

Preferred Experience

• Trauma and Orthopedic experience
• Familiarity with Meditech EMR

Typical Patient Population & Procedures

• Acute surgical intervention and post-op care including:

  • Trauma Surgery
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • General Surgery
  • Urological Surgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Neuro/Spine Surgery
  • GI Bleed / Endoscopy
  • Pulmonary Embolus
• Neurological diagnoses such as CVA, TIA, TBI, post-neurosurgery, altered mental status, meningitis, new onset seizures
• Cardiovascular conditions including hypertensive crisis, chest pain, CHF, sepsis (hemodynamically stable), alcohol withdrawal
• Cardiac cath lab patients and post-op cardiac surgery patients (stable)
• Acute cardiac dysrhythmias requiring IV/PO medication management
• Respiratory distress requiring advanced oxygen therapy (Venti mask, BiPAP, CPAP)
• Post-op vascular procedures (femoropopliteal bypass, peripheral stents, aortograms, carotid endarterectomy)
• Patients on various IV drips including anticoagulants, antiarrhythmics, vasodilators, inotropes, diuretics, and palliative care medications

Patient Monitoring & Guidelines

• Vital signs every 4 hours
• Telemetry monitoring every 4 hours
• Comprehensive patient assessments every 4 hours
• Vital sign parameters:

  • Heart rate: 50-150 bpm
  • Blood pressure: Systolic 90-180 mmHg
  • Respiratory rate: 10-30 breaths/min
  • Oxygen saturation: >90%

Work Environment & Culture

• Level 2 trauma center with 90% of inpatients admitted through the Emergency Department
• Team-oriented environment requiring adaptability and strong communication skills
• Supportive staff with experienced team members
• No on-call duties, stable scheduling

Ideal Candidate Traits

• Team player
• Adaptable to changing environments
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong customer service orientation

This position offers the opportunity to work in a high-acuity trauma stepdown unit with diverse surgical and medical patient populations in a supportive and well-staffed environment.