PACU Registered Nurse
St. Louis, Missouri
Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Registered Nurse Travel/Contract Job - Saint Louis, Missouri

Position Overview

• Specialty: Registered Nurse (RN)
• Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
• Employment Type: Travel/Contract
• Contract Length: 13 weeks
• Facility Type: Short Term Acute Care, Magnet & Teaching Hospital, Level I Trauma Center
• Unit: South Campus PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit)
• Unit Details:

  • 38 patient bays
  • Average daily census: 70-90 patients
  • Unit open 24/7
  • Staff needed for recovery of a wide range of acute post-op patients
  • Unit has its own PCT/transport team

Required Experience & Skills

• Years of Experience: At least 3 years of Level 1 ICU experience (higher end of 2-3 years stated)
• Prior Travel Experience: Not explicitly required; first-timers accepted
• Critical Care Experience: Required, including care of ventilated patients, artificial airways, invasive monitoring (including ICP), blood product administration, and vasoactive drugs
• Patient Population: Adults, occasional adolescents, and geriatric patients in a Level 1 trauma center
• Surgical Patients Recovered: Neurosurgery, ENT, plastics, orthopedics, thoracic, vascular, trauma, general, colorectal, gynecological, urological, electrophysiology, interventional radiology, and transplant (excluding open heart surgeries and liver transplants)
• Skills Required:

  • Critical care experience
  • Inpatient care
  • Level I Trauma Center experience
  • Phase I PACU
  • Dysrhythmia recognition/management
  • Blood product administration
  • Phlebotomy
  • Starting IVs and IV vasopressors
  • ICP monitoring
  • Care of ventilated patients
• Shift Details: No weekends, no call, no holidays
• Floating: Clinician may float within scope to meet facility needs
• Block Schedule: Not accommodated
• Locals: Not accepted; home address must be at least 75 miles from facility
• Pending License: Accepted
• Return to Office Restrictions: No more than 7 days
• Guaranteed Hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks (cancelled shifts must be regular shift length)
• Night Shift: Must learn how to work up pre-op patients if assigned

Certifications Required

• BLS (Basic Life Support) - AHA only
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - AHA only
• Other certifications may be required depending on unit (e.g., PALS, NRP, TNCC, CPI/MAB, NIH Stroke Certification) - check unit-specific requirements
• Competency exams including Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam required and must be updated annually
• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam as applicable
• State License verification and NURSYS verification required
• IV Certification required for LPN/LVN if applicable (not for RN)
• Additional certifications may be required for extensions or specific units

Compliance & Background Checks

• Criminal background check within 6 months of start (7-year search including statewide, nationwide, sex offender, and international if applicable)
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks quarterly
• Education verification of highest nursing degree required
• State-specific searches and registries as applicable (Missouri and Illinois)
• Fingerprinting required for Illinois long-term care or rehab assignments
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, must include a full panel and be valid throughout assignment
• Physical exam within 1 year of start
• Fit mask testing required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and health documents required:

  • Tdap (or declination)
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray with yearly questionnaire
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination
  • Flu vaccination or exemption required during flu season
  • Hepatitis B declination required (vaccination not mandatory)

Additional Facility Requirements

• Badge photo (head and shoulders, white background, no obstructions, taken within 6 months)
• Completion of facility-specific orientation modules (~16 hours) prior to start
• Completion of HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality form, latex allergy questionnaire, hand hygiene policy, fingernail policy, dress code policy, and other regulatory compliance education annually
• Vehicle registration form required for day shift workers
• References: Two professional references required (supervisors preferred)
• Employment application and unit-specific skills checklist required within 1 year of start
• Performance evaluations may be requested but not required for clearance or extensions

This position offers a challenging critical care environment in a prestigious Level I trauma center with a focus on post-anesthesia care for a diverse surgical patient population. It is ideal for experienced ICU RNs with strong critical care skills who are open to travel assignments and meet the comprehensive compliance and certification requirements.