ICU Registered Nurse
Freeport, Illinois
Mercyhealth FHN Hospital

ICU Registered Nurse (RN) - Travel Assignment

Location: Freeport, Illinois
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: 12-hour shifts, rotating day (7:00 AM–7:30 PM) and night (7:00 PM–7:30 AM)
Hours per Week: Approximately 36 hours
Unit: ICU (8 beds)

Job Description

• Provide critical care nursing in an ICU setting with a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:2-3 (some patients lower acuity).
• Common patient diagnoses include sepsis, general medical and surgical cases, stroke (TNK), diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), pneumonia, alcohol withdrawal, and post-catheterization recovery (radial/femoral sites).
• ICU nurses are expected to run Code Blue events and manage emergency situations.
• The unit includes telemetry monitoring; RNs are responsible for interpreting telemetry strips (no monitor tech).
• Nurses titrate drips such as Levo, Neo, Propofol, Fentanyl, Precedex, Insulin, and TNK, including medication mixing.
• Floating to MedSurg, Telemetry, and ER units with full patient load is required.
• Weekend coverage is every other weekend; holiday rotation applies.
• Department-specific orientation consists of two 12-hour shifts with documentation support.
• Scrub color is flexible; any professional color is acceptable.

Required Qualifications

• Illinois RN license required.
• Minimum 2 years of ICU nursing experience.
• Current ACLS and BLS certifications required. NIHSS certification also required.
• Experience running codes (Code Blue Command RN) and phlebotomy skills are a plus.
• Prior travel nursing experience is highly preferred but not explicitly required.
• Meditech electronic health record experience is a plus.

Additional Information

• The ICU has hospitalist coverage 24/7, with in-house hospitalists during the day.
• Respiratory therapy equipment is available on the unit.
• Charge nurse role includes assignment and nursing supervision duties.
• Care support staff such as CNAs and unit secretaries assist when acuity warrants.
• Staffing is census-based, with at least one nurse on duty even if no patients are present (rare).
• ER nurses may be used as backup support.

This position offers an opportunity to work in a supportive ICU environment with a variety of critical care patients and a collaborative team.