Travel Nurse RN - Med Surg
Chicago, Illinois
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County

Registered Nurse – Medical Surgical (RN MS)

Location: Chicago, Illinois Employment Type: Travel/Contract Contract Length: 13 weeks Shift: Night, 3x12-hour shifts (7:00 PM to 7:30 AM); 12 hours per day, 36 guaranteed hours per week; no block scheduling Unit Name: Med/Surg (Medical Surgical) Facility Highlight: Level 1 trauma center Scrub Color: Any color

Schedule and Work Expectations

• Weekends: Every other weekend (2 weekends per month)
• Time off requests (RTO): Maximum 5 days, with no more than 2 consecutive days. No RTO on holidays, the day before or after a holiday, or weekends.
• Floating: Mandatory float facility. All staff must float at the facility's discretion, including mid-shift.
• Call requirements: N/A
• Local candidates: Accepted and preferred, within a 75-mile radius of the facility.
• Pending licenses: Not accepted.

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in Illinois
• 2 years of Med Surg experience, including experience within the last year
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) / Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) issued by American Heart Association (AHA); required for Med/Surg RNs
• BLS (Basic Life Support) issued by American Heart Association (AHA)
• NIH Stroke Certification (NIHSS), updated annually; accepted through AHA, Apex, or BlueCloud/AAMC

Background and Screening

• Background check: Completed within 12 months of start. Covers all locations lived, worked, or attended school in the past 7 years, updated annually, and includes all aliases. Includes SSN trace, counties, states, nationwide, national sex offender, and OFAC searches. Fingerprinting is required if the Illinois statewide search requires it.
• International background check: Required within 1 year of start if the candidate lived or worked internationally in the past 7 years.
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG: Required within 30 days of start.
• Drug screen: Negative 9-panel drug screen within 90 days of start. Testing must begin within 48 hours of the signed contract and is updated annually. Instant tests are accepted for candidates not on prescriptions. Marijuana is not required to be negative.

Health Requirements

• Physical exam: Within 12 months of start, updated annually, signed by a PA, NP, DO, or MD
• TB: Negative QuantiFERON-Gold or T-SPOT within 12 months of start. PPDs are not accepted as of 12/15/2025. Annual TB testing is not required as of 7/2026. If TB is positive, a chest X-ray within 5 years and an annual TB questionnaire are required.
• TB questionnaire: Required upon hire, regardless of TB result
• Measles, mumps, and rubella: 2 MMR vaccines or a positive titer. A low titer requires 1 booster.
• Varicella: 2 vaccines or a positive titer. A low titer requires 1 booster.
• Hepatitis B: Vaccine series, positive titer, or signed declination within 1 year of start
• Tdap: Vaccine within 10 years, or signed declination within 12 months of start
• Flu vaccine: Required during flu season (10/01 to 5/4), or a medical or religious exemption. Documentation is due by 11/30. Declinations must also be collected.
• Respirator fit testing: Passed fit test required within 1 year of start, using one of the following masks: 3M 1860 Regular or Small, 3M 1870+, 3M 9205+, or Halyard Fluidshield N95 Regular or Small. Renewed annually. Candidates who cannot pass a fit test for medical or religious reasons must submit an exemption. Candidates who cannot pass a fit test for other reasons are approved for onsite PAPR use, which is available at the facility.

State-Specific Requirements

• Illinois Health Care Worker Registry and Abuse Registry: Not required for RNs.