PACU Registered Nurse
San Francisco, California
Sutter Health CPMC Mission Bernal Campus

Registered Nurse - PACU (Travel/Contract)

Location: San Mateo, California
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Summary

• Provide nursing care in a Day Surgery Unit for adult and pediatric patients.
• Work areas include pre-op, PACU, and post-op.
• Responsible for assessment, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of nursing care, patient/family education, and transitions of care in an acute patient setting.
• Flexibility required for 23-hour stay patients, who may be booked with short notice (24-48 hours).

Schedule

• 4 shifts per week, 10 hours each (40 hours/week).
• Variable start times: 6:00 AM - 9:30 AM.
• No on-call or weekend shifts.
• Closing shift (9:30 AM - 6:00 PM) may require staying late if patient discharge criteria are not met.

Required Qualifications

• Valid RN license in California
• Minimum 5 years of Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) experience, including experience within the last year
• Experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• Current ACLS certification
• Current BLS certification issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• Current PALS certification
• Experience with Epic electronic health record system

Background and Compliance Requirements

• 7-year background check required within 6 months of start, including SSN trace with all aliases, county searches, nationwide sex offender search, education verification, and FACIS Level 3 screening.
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks required and updated annually.
• Drug screening: Negative 9-panel drug screen within 6 months of start (excluding marijuana/cannabinoids due to CA law).
• Employment application must include full 7 years of work history with no gaps.
• References: 2 professional references required within 3 years for clinical and acute care roles.

Health and Immunization Requirements

• Physical exam within 1 year of start, including clearance for work.
• Fit mask test within 1 year, renewed annually (specific mask types required).
• Immunizations and/or titers required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (within 10 years).
  • Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella (MMR) immunity or vaccination.
  • Hepatitis B series or signed declination.
  • Varicella immunity or vaccination.
  • Negative TB test (QGold or TSPOT within 90 days) or 2-step PPD. Annual renewal required.
  • Seasonal flu vaccination or signed declination during flu season (Nov 1 - Apr 30).
• Color vision exam required in-person if applicable.
• Respiratory safety clearance required prior to start and renewed annually.

Additional Requirements

• Unit-specific skills checklist required, renewed annually.
• Competency exams as applicable, including medication/pharmacology competency.
• Candidate must review and sign facility-specific documents prior to start, including job description, standards of business conduct, vendor training, code of conduct, overpayment refund policy, and regulatory orientation.
• Religious exemption forms required for facial hair (PAPR exemption) and certain vaccine exemptions; must be approved case-by-case.

Notes

• No weekend or on-call shifts.
• Flexibility needed for patient discharge timing, especially for 23-hour stay patients.
• This is a travel/contract position requiring relocation to San Mateo, CA.

This summary includes all relevant information for healthcare recruiters and workers considering this PACU RN travel contract role in California.