Pediatric Stepdown RN
Chicago, Illinois
La Rabida Children's Hospital

Job Opportunity: Pediatric Stepdown Registered Nurse (PICU Experience Preferred)

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Overview

• Work in a unique inpatient pediatric stepdown unit with 39 beds, caring for patients aged 2 weeks to 18 years.
• Patient population includes all specialties; 50-60% have some form of technology dependence.
• Acute care unit focused on children with chronic illnesses, including those with tracheostomies and chronic ventilators.
• No drips or surgical patients; transitional patients only.

Requirements

Licensure & Certifications

• Active Illinois RN license required at time of submission (Compact RN licenses not accepted).
• BCLS (Basic Life Support) - AHA certified, required.
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) - AHA certified, required.
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - AHA certified, preferred but not required.
• Flu vaccine required during flu season (September-April); medical and religious exemptions accepted.
• COVID vaccination required; exemptions not accepted. Booster preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years of nursing experience required.
• PICU experience preferred.
• Experience with vents, tracheostomy, and G-tube care required.
• Experience working with 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratios required.
• Meditech charting experience required.
• Prior travel experience not required.
• First-time travelers not accepted.

Work Schedule

• Weekend shifts required every other weekend.
• Floating within scope of practice may be required.
• Open to block scheduling.
• Guaranteed hours vary by shift length:

  • 36 hours for 3 shifts of 12 hours
  • 48 hours for 4 shifts of 12 hours
  • 40 hours for shifts less than 12 hours (8- or 10-hour shifts)

Facility Highlights

• Children's hospital setting.
• Total staffed beds: 62.
• Scrub color: Any neat and clean color; pediatric-themed encouraged.
• Charting system: Meditech.
• Free parking available.

Additional Requirements & Compliance

Background Checks & Verifications

• 7-year background check including SS trace, county/statewide/nationwide searches, sex offender registry, education verification, and abuse registry.
• Annual EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks.
• Social Security verification.
• Illinois-specific checks including Nurses Aide Registry, Sex Offender Register, and Child Abuse/Neglect Search (CANT).

Health & Safety Documents

• Physical exam within 1 year of start.
• Required vaccinations or titers: MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Hepatitis B, Varicella.
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year.
• Drug screening within 30 days prior to start (comprehensive panel).
• Flu and COVID vaccinations as noted above.

Competency Exams

• Medication test/pharmacology competency exam required.
• Other competency exams as applicable to profession.

Orientation & Training

• Virtual new hire orientation and facility-specific HIPAA and general orientation required.
• Bystander intervention training certificate required.

Summary

This is a 13-week travel contract for a Pediatric Stepdown RN with a focus on patients requiring technology-dependent care. The role demands a minimum of 2 years of nursing experience, specific pediatric certifications, and experience with ventilators, tracheostomies, and G-tubes. Weekend work and Meditech charting experience are mandatory. Illinois RN licensure must be active at submission, and first-time travelers are not accepted. The facility offers a supportive environment with free parking and a pediatric-focused culture.