PCU Stepdown RN
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Beaver Dam Community Hospital

Registered Nurse (RN) – PCU

Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Nights
Hours: 12-hour shifts, approximately 36 hours per week

Unit Overview

• Unit Type: Progressive Care Unit (PCU) / Intermediate Care (IMC) / Medical-Surgical
• Beds: 12 beds plus 4 ICU rooms (average census ~8 patients)
• Nurse-to-Patient Ratios:

  • PCU/IMC: 1:3-4
  • ICU: 1:3
  • Med-Surg: 1:5
  • Team nursing with RN and LPN managing up to 7 patients total
• Common Patient Diagnoses: Pneumonia/COVID, post-operative knees and hips, falls
• Respiratory Therapy: Vented patient transfers to higher level of care
• Telemetry: Remote telemetry monitoring; RNs responsible for reading and interpreting strips

Required Qualifications

• Active RN license
• Minimum 1 year of PCU experience (Medical-Surgical Telemetry experience alone is not acceptable) OR prior ICU experience
• ACLS (American Heart Association) certification
• BLS (American Heart Association) certification
• Experience with Cerner electronic medical records system
• Ability to titrate drips (e.g., Amiodarone, Heparin, Levo, Cardizem, Dobutamine, pressors)
• Excellent patient care skills and strong documentation
• Prior travel experience is not required; first-time travelers are welcome
• Must be flexible to float to other areas such as the Emergency Department if needed

Job Responsibilities & Expectations

• Charge nurse role may be assigned; charge nurse typically takes a small patient assignment
• Participate in team nursing alongside CNAs (1 CNA per ~6 patients, ratio dependent on census)
• Responsible for telemetry strip interpretation without dedicated telemetry techs on unit
• Participate in on-call/standby rotation with 45-minute response time; less likely if willing to float
• Weekend requirement: every 3rd weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
• Holiday requirement: work 2 out of every 3 holidays
• Self-scheduling with support from a scheduler; flexibility to fill gaps in permanent staff schedule
• Dress code: any solid color scrubs
• Orientation: 4 hours computer-based training plus 8 hours floor training

Additional Notes

• Clinicians who have previously worked at this facility must have a minimum 6-month gap since last employment
• All clinicians must clock in and out at the facility
• Team nursing model with 2 RNs on the department at all times

This position offers a dynamic PCU nursing experience with opportunities to work in ICU and med-surg settings, requiring strong clinical skills and flexibility.