Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse
Kansas City, Missouri
Saint Luke's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse (Travel/Contract)

Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Overview

• Unit: Progressive Care Unit (PCU) / Stepdown / Intermediate Care
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:4
• First-time travelers accepted
• Weekend requirement: 8 weekend shifts per 6-week schedule period (Friday/Saturday/Sunday combination)
• No on-call required
• Floating: Yes, within service line and to all MICC units
• Block scheduling: Not accommodated
• Local candidates: Not accepted (must live at least 75 miles from facility)
• Pending license: Not accepted
• Return to work restrictions: No more than 7 days off
• Guaranteed hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks (cancelled shifts must be regular shift length)

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 2 years of Registered Nurse experience in specialty (PCU/DOU/IMC/Stepdown)
• Skills required:

  • Interpretation and management of dysrhythmias
  • Use of Rapid Response Teams
  • Pacemakers (temporary and permanent)
  • Pre/Post Cardiac Catheterization and Surgery care
  • TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) care
  • TR Band management
  • Insulin drip titration
  • Feeding tube care and management
  • Blood product administration
  • Central line, peripheral line, and PICC line care/management
  • IV starts
  • Heparin protocols
  • Management and titration of cardiac and vasoactive drips
  • PCA and epidural pain management
  • Chest tube management (Emerson/Pleur-evac)
  • Oxygen delivery devices (nasal cannula, face masks, portable tanks)
  • Non-invasive airway management and tracheostomy care
  • Isolation precautions
  • Wound care and wound vac management

Patient Population

• Complex post-operative thoracic and vascular surgery patients
• Surgeries include:

  • CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft)
  • Valve replacements (AVR, MVR, TVR)
  • Aortic aneurysm repair
  • Esophagectomy
  • Thoracotomy/VATS
  • Carotid endarterectomy
  • TAVR
  • BKA/AKA (below/above knee amputation)
  • Femoral to distal bypass
• Patients often have multiple co-morbidities such as advanced heart failure, end-stage renal disease, diabetes
• Care includes management of chest tubes, epicardial wires, temporary pacemakers, multiple IV drips (Milrinone, Dobutamine, Cardizem, Amiodarone, Insulin, Lasix, antibiotics), telemetry, central venous access, dressing changes, blood product administration, bladder scans, and tracheostomy care

Certifications Required

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• NIH Stroke Certification
• Other certifications may be required based on unit (refer to unit-specific requirements)

Facility Highlights

• 5-time Magnet Recognition Award winner
• Teaching hospital
• Level 1 Trauma Center
• Total staffed beds: 456
• Charting system: Epic
• Scrub color: Navy
• Free parking

Compliance & Documentation Requirements

• Government-issued ID required
• Criminal background check within 6 months, including statewide and nationwide searches
• Quarterly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks
• Education verification of highest nursing degree required (no pending at start)
• State license primary source verification (Missouri licenses verified via NURSYS)
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, must include specific panels and be valid throughout assignment
• Physical exam within 1 year of start
• Fit mask (N95) testing required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and titers required:

  • Tdap (or declination)
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray within 1 year
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination
• Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption required during flu season
• Unit-specific competency exams including dysrhythmia/EKG competency within 12 months of start
• Medication/pharmacology competency exam required
• Background checks and state-specific searches as applicable
• Facility-specific documents including HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality form, latex allergy questionnaire, hand hygiene, fingernail, and dress code policies must be reviewed and signed prior to start
• Orientation modules completed through WorkRamp prior to start (approximately 16 hours)

Additional Notes

• No prior travel experience explicitly required
• Floating within service line and to MICC units expected
• No on-call duties
• Must be willing to work required weekend shifts
• Locals not accepted; must live at least 75 miles away from facility

This position is ideal for experienced PCU/Stepdown RNs comfortable with complex cardiac and post-surgical patients in a high-acuity tertiary care setting.