Med Surg Telemetry Stroke RN
Rockford, Illinois
OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center

Med Surg RN

Location: Rockford, Illinois Unit: Adult Medical Specialty Unit (4 East, 20 beds; 4 West also used for Med Surg coverage) Shift: Nights, 12-hour shifts (7a-7:30p, 7p-7:30a) Contract Length: 13 weeks Hours: 12 hours per day, 36 hours per week

Required Qualifications

• Active Illinois RN license, or confirmation that the application process has been initiated
• Required certifications: BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS (AHA only)
• Must have experience caring for stroke patients and be NIHSS-certified

Clinical Details

• Common diagnoses: CVA/TIA, ICH/SDH/SAH, syncope, weakness/aphasia, altered mental status, seizures, COVID/COVID PNA, ARF, and others
• Patient ratios (nights): 1:5-6 on 4 East
• Titrating drips: RNs are not required to titrate drips. Titratable drips are not managed on the unit; the patient is moved to a higher level of care. Set-rate drips (e.g., Cardizem, Amio) may be used, but if the rate must be changed more than once in four hours, the patient is transferred to a higher level of care.
• Charge nurse: A separate charge nurse is assigned to 4 East and 4 West. The ideal is no patient assignment or a lighter load, but they usually carry a full assignment, depending on staffing.
• Nursing assistants: 4 East calls for 1-2 CNAs per shift depending on census, usually 2 CNAs at a 1:10 ratio. 4 West calls for 1-3 CNAs depending on census, usually 2 CNAs at a 1:11-12 ratio.
• Respiratory equipment: PRN or nightly CPAP and BiPAP are provided. Patients who need continuous use are moved to a higher level of care. High flow nasal cannula is seen regularly on 4 West. 4 West has 3 negative airflow rooms (used for TB, shingles, etc.).
• Telemetry: All beds are telemetry capable. Physicians choose telemetry patients and renew orders every 48 hours. Philips monitors are used. RNs review strips each shift, while a central monitoring area measures and interprets them.

Scheduling and Coverage

• RNs self-schedule. Block scheduling and extra shifts are allowed. No more than 6 shifts in a row.
• Weekends: every other weekend (days: Saturday/Sunday; nights: Friday/Saturday)
• Holidays: every other holiday. Days: Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day. Nights: Memorial Day Eve, July 3rd, Labor Day Eve, Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve.
• Call or standby: None
• Call-off policy: Equivalent of 12 hours every 13 weeks with no penalty
• Float scope: May float down to Med Surg at a maximum ratio of 1:6. May also float to other telemetry units, or up to IMC or ICU, if the assignment fits the RN's skill set (e.g., telemetry overflow, non-titrated drips taken on the floor).

Orientation

• Online education, 1 day of house orientation, and 2-3 days in the department with a preceptor
• 12 hours of orientation

Dress Code

• Any color professional scrubs. Scrubs are not provided.
• No Crocs, artificial nails or nail enhancements, or jackets/sweaters with hoods or logos.

Additional Notes

• Patient experience and high-quality care are the highest priorities.
• The facility is a drug-free campus. Candidates must pass a drug screen with a negative result for all panels.