Pediatric Stepdown RN
Chicago, Illinois
La Rabida Children's Hospital

Pediatric Stepdown Registered Nurse (Travel/Contract)

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Night (4 shifts per week, 12 hours each; 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM)
Hours per Week: 48

Unit & Patient Population

• Inpatient pediatric stepdown unit with 39 beds, caring for patients aged 2 weeks to 18 years
• Approximately 50-60% of patients are technology dependent (e.g., ventilators, tracheostomies, G tubes)
• Acute care unit focused on children with chronic illnesses; no drips or surgical/transitional patients
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:3 to 1:4

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Illinois
• Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing
• Minimum 2 years of pediatric Progressive Care Unit (PCU) or stepdown experience, with at least 1 year within the last year
• Experience caring for technology-dependent pediatric patients including ventilators, tracheostomies, and G tubes
• Experience working with 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratios
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association
• Experience with MEDITECH electronic health record system

Schedule & Work Conditions

• Floating within scope of practice may be required to meet facility needs
• Block scheduling accommodations available
• Locals accepted at the same rate as travelers
• Guaranteed hours: 48 hours/week for 4 twelve-hour shifts
• On-call not required

Health & Compliance Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year of start date
• Immunizations/vaccinations required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (within past 10 years)
  • Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Rubella (two vaccinations or positive titer; boosters and declinations as applicable)
  • Hepatitis B vaccination series or positive titer
  • Varicella (positive titer or proof of two vaccines)
  • COVID vaccination required; booster preferred; no exemptions accepted
  • Flu vaccination required regardless of season; no exemptions accepted
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year of start (2-step PPD, Qgold/TSPOT, or clear chest X-ray)
• Drug screen within 30 days prior to start covering a comprehensive panel of substances

Background & Documentation Requirements

• 7-year background check including:

  • SSN verification, county/statewide/nationwide searches, sex offender registry, education verification, IL abuse registry search
• Annual EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks required
• Illinois-specific checks:

  • Child Abuse/Neglect Tracking system (CANT) search authorization and results
  • Nurses Aide Registry search
  • Sex Offender Registry search
• Two professional references required (travel, allied, or per diem acute care) within 3 years of start
• Completion of facility-specific orientation and HIPAA training
• Competency exams with minimum passing score of 80% (or Angoff score if higher) as applicable
• Virtual new hire orientation and acknowledgment forms required

Additional Notes

• Scrub color: any neat and clean color; pediatric-themed scrubs encouraged
• Free parking available in shared public lots
• This is a unique inpatient unit with a diverse pediatric patient population requiring specialized skills in technology-dependent care

Prior travel experience is not required.