Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse – PCU

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 16 weeks

Unit & Patient Population

• Mixed acuity surgical oncology unit caring for Progressive Care Unit (PCU) and Medical-Surgical patients.
• Patient age groups: Adults and Geriatrics.
• Common diagnoses include:

  • Surgical oncology (breast, thyroid, melanoma)
  • Hepatobiliary cancers (liver, pancreas, spleen, biliary tract, neuroendocrine)
  • Colorectal cancers (colon, rectal)
  • Reconstructive plastics (breast cancer, sarcoma)

Work Schedule & Staffing

• Shift: Night shift, 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (7:00 PM – 7:30 AM).
• Rotating schedule with possible day, night, or combination shifts based on unit needs.
• Staffing ratio goal: 1 nurse to 4 patients, can be up to 1:5.
• No set/blocked scheduling; schedule reviewed every 4 weeks.
• Self-scheduling requests allowed but final schedule is balanced by management.
• Orientation:

  • Week 1: Monday to Friday, day shift orientation.
  • Week 2: 36 hours on-unit orientation with a preceptor.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Ohio.
• 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 the American Heart Association.
• ACLS certification.
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification.

Clinical Skills & Procedures

• Chemotherapy administration.
• Blood transfusions.
• IV antibiotics.
• Management of oncologic emergencies including cytokine release syndrome.
• Insulin and heparin drip management.
• Strong emphasis on infection prevention protocols and patient fall prevention.
• Computerized charting using EPIC.

Certifications Preferred

• Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Chemotherapy certification.

Background & Compliance Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check required within 90 days of start, including FBI and BCI fingerprinting.
• Monthly monitoring through EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG databases.
• Verification of nursing education from accredited programs (CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA).
• Ohio BCI & FBI fingerprinting must be completed with specific code requirements.
• Pending background check attestation required if fingerprint results are pending at start.
• Annual background check required by agency.

Health & Immunization Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year confirming good health and free of contagious disease.
• Immunizations/vaccinations required (unless fully remote):

  • Tdap (adult dose after age 11/12)
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray within 1 year
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – 2 vaccines or positive titer
  • Varicella – 2 vaccines or positive titer (medical exemptions reviewed)
  • Hepatitis B titer or 3-vaccine series (declination accepted)
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season (10/1–3/31)
• Negative 10-panel drug screen within 3 months of start (no pending tests allowed).

Additional Requirements

• Two professional references required; at least one must be from a manager or formal leadership.
• Employment application and skills checklist required.
• Unit-specific competency exams including medication and dysrhythmia/EKG competency (EKG exam must be updated annually).
• Annual orientation safety manual acknowledgement.
• License verification and NURSYS verification required within 30 days of start.
• Fraud, waste, and abuse training certificate required prior to start and updated annually.
• Dress code and hand hygiene policy acknowledgment required.

Summary

This is a 16-week travel contract for an experienced Registered Nurse to work primarily night shifts on a busy surgical oncology PCU unit. The role requires strong oncology nursing skills, multiple certifications, and compliance with extensive background and health documentation requirements. Orientation includes both classroom and on-unit preceptorship. The position offers a dynamic schedule with self-scheduling input but no guaranteed fixed shifts.