RN - MS
Profession: Nursing
Specialty: Medsurg
Duration: 13 weeks
Shift: 12-hour Day/Night Rotation
Hours per Shift: 36 hours per week
Experience: Minimum 1 year of experience
License: Active RN license required
Certifications: BLS required; ACLS & NIH Stroke Education preferred
Must-Have: IV experience; knowledge of electronic health records system preferred; ability to assist in emergency situations if needed
Description:
Department has 18 beds but can staff a maximum of 10 at this time.
All rooms are private.
Typical nurse-to-patient ratios are 1:6 or less on both days and nights; 1:8 rarely on nights depending on acuity and staffing.
Common patient diagnoses include pneumonia, rehab, urinary tract infections, general postoperative care, pain control, and general medical conditions.
Additional patient types include issues related to aspiration, fractures, dementia, and falls.
There is rare pediatric care, typically involving IV fluids.
Nurses are required to titrate drips for a short period but it is not common practice.
Commonly used drips include Cardizem, but these patients are usually transferred to larger facilities.
Nurses refresh their knowledge regarding policies and collaboration with pharmacy, as drip administration is infrequent.
Charge nurses do not typically take patient assignments and may cover the emergency room or serve as an extra nurse on the floor.
Nurse aids or patient care techs are present on each 8-hour shift to assist with vital signs, ambulation, activities of daily living, and rounding.
Respiratory therapy equipment is not available on the unit; nurses provide breathing treatments and education, with emergency respiratory support available from charge nurses and EMS personnel when necessary.
Nurses must read and interpret their own cardiac monitoring strips as no monitor techs are present.
Staff self-schedule, but contracted staff will have schedules aligned with existing rotations to meet departmental needs.
Weekend requirements typically involve every third weekend for full-time staff and every other weekend for contracted staff.
Holiday scheduling operates on a rotational basis.
There is no call or standby requirement.
Floating between units is not required.
Scrub colors and patterns are not restricted, and scrubs are not provided.
Unit/department-specific orientation consists of one full 12-hour shift with a preceptor.
