Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse
Opelika, Alabama
East Alabama Medical Center

Registered Nurse (Med Surg RN)

Location: Opelika, Alabama
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Details

• Unit Types: Med/Surg (two units: 5T and 7T)
• Shifts: Nights (3x12-hour shifts)
• Hours per week: 36
• Weekend Requirement: 4 shifts per 4 weeks
• Holiday Requirement:

  • 5T: 1 major and 2 minor holidays in winter
  • 7T: Thanksgiving or Christmas plus New Year’s or New Year’s Eve, and one summer holiday (July 4th or Memorial Day)
• Floating: Required within the medical-surgical division
• Scheduling:

  • 5T: Modified self-schedule
  • 7T: Contract employees do not self-schedule; block scheduling accommodated when possible

Patient Care & Unit Information

• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:5-6
• Nurse aides available; goal ratio ≤ 1:12
• Common Diagnoses:

  • 5T: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), Diabetes Mellitus (DM)
  • 7T: COPD, Sepsis, Altered Mental Status (AMS), Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), Diabetes, COVID-19, Anemia, Weakness
• Respiratory Therapy Equipment:

  • 5T: High flow oxygen, CPAP, BiPAP
  • 7T: All oxygen modalities up to BiPAP; no ventilators
• Telemetry/Monitor Techs: None on unit; RNs required to read their own strips (Phillips monitors)
• Drip Titration:

  • 5T: No
  • 7T: Yes, Heparin (with pharmacist direction), stable doses of Amiodarone, Dobutamine, Cardizem

Orientation

• 5T: 2 shifts of unit-specific orientation
• 7T: One week of PCPO at education center plus two 12-hour shifts on assigned unit

Required Certifications

• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification required for 5T unit

Experience & Skills

• Specialty: Med Surg RN
• Required Years of Experience: Not explicitly stated; implied experience with teamwork and initiative on 7T unit
• Prior travel experience: Not required

Additional Information

• Scrub color: Ceil Blue (5T); not provided for 7T
• Charge nurse role may be assigned based on census or staffing needs
• No call or standby requirement for contract staff
• Radius rule: 100 miles from job location