Travel ICU Registered Nurse
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

ICU Nurse Travel Opportunity - Bakersfield, California

Position Overview

• Experienced ICU nurse needed for a travel contract.
• Minimum 3 full years of ICU experience required.
• Must have active BLS, ACLS, NIHSS certifications, and a California nursing license.
• Travel experience required; no first-time travelers or duo travelers accepted.

Contract Length

• 13 weeks

Unit Details

• Unit: ICU and ICU-CV Recovery
• Beds: 24 beds, expandable to 32 beds
• Nurse-to-patient ratios: 1:1 and 1:2
• Intensivist coverage: On-site 7 AM - 5 PM, on-call after hours
• EMR System: Cerner
• Telemetry: Spacelabs monitoring with 24/7 monitor tech support; nurses responsible for tele strip interpretation
• Ventilators: Yes, maintained by Respiratory Therapy (RT)
• RT coverage: 24/7
• Pharmacy: 24/7 hospital pharmacy; dedicated pharmacist on unit 12 hours M-F, 6 hours on weekends; Omnicell system available
• Charge Nurse: Present, rarely takes patients; responds to rapid responses
• Nurse Aides: Not available
• Additional equipment: Pagers linked to call light system, internal spectra link phones

Orientation & Training

• Orientation includes 2 shifts on ICU unit plus orientation to East tower (4E, 5E, 6E) and West tower (4W, 5W) for floating
• Basic EKG interpretation test during orientation; critical care RNs have additional testing (STEMI and Procedural Sedation curriculum)

Work Schedule & Breaks

• Shifts: 12-hour shifts
• Breaks: One 30-minute clocked break plus three 15-minute breaks per shift (per California law)
• Weekends: Every other weekend or equivalent to 4 weekend shifts in a 4-week schedule (e.g., 2 weekends on, 2 weekends off)

Dress Code

• Scrubs: Navy blue required
• Scrub jackets: Navy blue only
• Undershirts: Navy, white, or black only

Patient Population & Care

• Types of patients: Respiratory failure, sepsis, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ARDS, GI bleed, CABG (fresh hearts), TAVR, Impella, vascular surgeries, neuro surgeries, CVAs
• Neuro experience is a plus; a Neuro ICU is being added
• Nurses participate in multidisciplinary rounds
• Medications: Cardiac and vasoactive drips, conscious sedation, etc.

Floating Requirements

• Must be willing to float to MedSurg/Telemetry units (4E, 4W, 5E, 5W, 6E)
• Travelers float first, including nights and every other weekend shifts

Certifications Required

• BLS
• ACLS
• NIHSS
• California RN license

Additional Notes

• IABP, CRRT, and ICP certifications are not required but considered a plus
• No IV team support; nurses manage their own IVs
• Telemetry monitors are located in patient rooms