Surgical Oncology PCU 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 PCU and Med Surg 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)
  • Plastics (reconstructive 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
• Weekends variable, no set/blocked scheduling
• Self-scheduling requests allowed but final schedule based on staffing priorities
• Orientation:

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

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Ohio
• Minimum 1 year of Med Surg / Telemetry experience within the last year
• Progressive Care Unit (PCU) experience
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• BLS certification issued by the American Heart Association
• ACLS certification issued by the American Heart Association
• NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification

Licensure

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in Ohio required

Background & Compliance Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check within 90 days of start, including FBI and BCI fingerprinting
• Monthly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG monitoring
• Education verification from an accredited nursing program (CCNE, ACEN, or NLN CNEA)
• Ohio BCI & FBI fingerprinting required with specific code (3701.881)
• Pending background check attestation allowed if fingerprint results are pending
• Drug screening: Negative 10-panel drug screen within 3 months of start (no pending drug screens allowed)
• Physical exam within 1 year confirming good health and free of contagious disease
• Immunizations and health documents required:

  • Tdap (adult dose)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year
  • TB questionnaire
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – 2 vaccines or positive titer
  • Hepatitis B titer or 3-vaccine series (declination acceptable)
  • Varicella – 2 vaccines or positive titer (medical exemption requires documentation)
  • Seasonal flu vaccine or declination during flu season (10/1 – 3/31)
• COVID vaccination not required but strongly recommended

Competency & Testing Requirements

• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam required prior to start
• Unit-specific competency exam required
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam required within 1 year of start and updated annually (exceptions apply)

Documentation & Policies

• Employment application and skills checklist required
• Two professional references required (at least one from a manager or formal leader)
• Annual acknowledgment of orientation safety manual, dress code, hand hygiene, ethics, and compliance policies
• Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training certificate required prior to start and updated annually

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to work in a busy surgical oncology PCU with a diverse patient population and advanced nursing care requirements.