CVICU Registered Nurse
Sacramento, California
Mercy General Hospital

Registered Nurse – Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CVICU)

Location: Sacramento, California
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Summary

Seeking experienced CVICU nurses for a high-acuity travel contract in a 20-bed Cardiovascular Surgical ICU. The unit involves care for pre- and fresh post-op CABG patients, LVADs, Impellas, IABP, TAVRs, CRRT, critical drips, and Swan monitoring. Neuro ICU experience preferred due to float opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of CVICU experience
• Must have completed at least 1 prior travel assignment in CVICU
• Active California RN license
• Current BLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certifications
• Ability to read and interpret EKG strips (Telemetry skills)

Clinical & Operational Details

• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 to 1:2
• EMR system: Cerner
• Charge nurse duties include break relief; generally does not take patients
• Nurse aides available depending on census and staffing
• Ventilator management required
• Respiratory therapy and pharmacy available 24/7
• Hospitalist or intensivist present in-house
• No IV team support
• Scrub color: Navy (under shirts must be navy, white, or black; scrub jackets optional but must be navy)

Schedule & Shifts

• 12-hour day shifts (05:45 start)
• Every other weekend required
• Holiday rotation with core staff
• Report at bedside
• Self-scheduling with manager final approval; schedules released 4 weeks in advance
• Overtime and extra shifts available
• Block scheduling generally not available

Orientation & Floating

• Floor-specific orientation: 1-2 days with preceptor
• Floating primarily to other Sacramento facilities; mid-shift float is rare
• Float to Neuro ICU preferred

Additional Notes

• Travelers will not manage LVAD patients; core staff validate skills for CABG recovery, IABP, and CRRT
• IABP patients are not assigned 1:1
• High acuity environment requiring proactive and confident nurses who follow all assigned cases without special accommodations
• Candidates must not have been employed full-time, part-time, or PRN by certain affiliated health systems within the past year (PRN through outside firms considered)
• Drug screening exam required prior to contract signing with strict pass/fail criteria

This opportunity is ideal for CVICU nurses with solid critical care experience and prior travel assignments looking for a challenging, fast-paced environment with advanced cardiovascular surgical patients.