Neuro Stepdown RN
Omaha, Nebraska
The Nebraska Medical Center

Job Opportunity: Stepdown Neuro Registered Nurse (Travel/Contract)

Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Contract Length: 13 weeks
Shift: Day shift, 3 shifts per week, 12 hours each (7:00 AM – 7:30 PM)
Hours per Week: 36 hours

Unit & Patient Population

• Mixed Acuity: Medical Surgical, Telemetry, and Stepdown care levels
• 48-bed unit specializing in Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Patient conditions include strokes, aneurysms, seizures, spinal fusions, brain and spinal cord tumors, and other neurological disorders
• Eight beds equipped for long-term EEG monitoring
• Multi-care level unit; nurses may care for up to five Med Surg patients simultaneously

Staffing & Ratios

• Medical Surgical/Telemetry ratios:

  • Day: 1 nurse to 5 patients
  • Night: 1 nurse to 6 patients (rarely 1:7)
• Stepdown ratios: 1 nurse to 3-4 patients (day and night)
• Travelers are first to float and must be prepared to float frequently within scope, including to other campuses and units such as trauma, observation, and specialized neuro units
• Care teams include CNAs, care techs, transport team, paramedics, and sometimes LPNs

Required Qualifications

• Registered Nurse license valid in Nebraska (pending license accepted but must be in hand before start; booking may be delayed if not)
• Minimum 2 years of RN experience in a large, urban hospital setting
• EPIC electronic charting experience required
• Drip medication administration experience required on all floors
• First-time travel nurses not accepted unless they have 2 years of experience at a Level I Academic Medical Center
• Prior travel experience is not explicitly required but first-timers generally not accepted
• Must be nicotine-free (100% nicotine-free facility)
• Locals not accepted (must live more than 100 miles from facility)

Certifications & Training

• BLS (Basic Life Support) required
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) required as applicable per unit
• PALS, NRP, NIH Stroke Certification as applicable per unit description
• Orientation Safety Manual Acknowledgement required
• Medication Test/Pharmacology Competency Exam required as applicable
• Annual Skills Checklist required

Health & Compliance Requirements

• Government-issued photo ID required
• Background check within 30 days of start, including multiple county/state/federal checks
• Drug screen within 60 days of start and updated annually (instant tests not accepted)
• Physical exam within 1 year of start, updated annually
• Fit mask test within 1 year of start, updated annually (specific mask models required)
• Immunizations and titers required:

  • Tdap within last 10 years
  • 2 MMR vaccines or positive titer (boosters if low/equivocal)
  • Hepatitis B titer or declination
  • Varicella vaccines or positive titer (boosters if low/equivocal)
• TB testing: Annual PPD or 2-step PPD/Qgold/TSPOT within 1 year; chest x-ray if history of positive PPD
• Flu vaccine preferred but not mandatory; documentation or declination required
• COVID vaccine preferred; medical/religious exemptions accepted
• Eye exam required only for OR staff (not applicable here)

Scheduling & Time Off

• Weekend shifts: 4 out of 8 possible in a 4-week period (days: Sat/Sun; nights: Fri/Sat night)
• RTO (Request Time Off) blackout dates: June 11–22, 2026 (due to College World Series)
• Up to two weeks of RTO permitted; must be submitted with application
• Holiday requirement: Must work 2 out of 3 major holidays; requests submitted with application

Additional Information

• Scrubs: Mandatory Steele gray scrubs with facility logo (provided after confirmation)
• Parking: Permit available (~$55/month) or daily parking rates apply
• Must submit 2 professional references from work within past 2 years (one from most recent employer if not a current traveler)

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to work in a specialized neuro stepdown unit with a diverse patient population in a large academic medical center environment. Candidates must be flexible, experienced, and prepared to float as needed.