ICU Registered Nurse (RN)

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse (ICU RN) for a 13-week travel assignment in Carbondale, Illinois.

This role is ideal for a critical care nurse who is comfortable managing a broad range of high-acuity patients in a general ICU setting. The unit is a 21-bed ICU with a typical nurse-to-patient ratio of approximately 1:2.

Patients may include complex cardiac, neurological, neurosurgical, postoperative, trauma, and medical ICU cases. The successful candidate should have strong bedside critical-care skills and the ability to recognize and respond quickly to changes in patient condition.

Key Responsibilities

·        Provide direct bedside nursing care to critically ill and high-acuity patients.

·        Perform comprehensive head-to-toe assessments and ongoing reassessments.

·        Monitor vital signs, cardiac rhythms, neurological status, respiratory status, and hemodynamic changes.

·        Recognize clinical deterioration and initiate appropriate interventions.

·        Manage multiple complex patients while maintaining patient safety and quality of care.

·        Administer medications, IV therapies, blood products, and other treatments according to provider orders and facility protocols.

·        Monitor patients receiving high-risk and vasoactive medications as appropriate.

·        Provide care to patients requiring advanced respiratory support.

·        Assist with emergency procedures and rapid-response situations.

·        Collaborate closely with intensivists, physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and other members of the interdisciplinary team.

·        Participate in shift handoffs, multidisciplinary rounds, and care-planning discussions.

·        Provide education and support to patients and families.

·        Maintain accurate and timely nursing documentation.

·        Follow infection-control, patient-safety, and critical-care standards.

·        Respond appropriately during code situations and other clinical emergencies.

Patient Population

The ICU cares for a diverse population of critically ill patients, including:

·        Cardiac patients

·        Neurological patients

·        Neurosurgical patients

·        Post-cardiovascular surgery patients

·        Post-general surgery patients

·        Medical ICU patients

·        Post-trauma patients

·        Other medically complex or unstable patients requiring intensive monitoring

Required Qualifications

Candidates should have:

·        Active Registered Nurse license meeting Illinois practice requirements

·        Current BLS certification

·        Recent ICU / critical-care nursing experience

·        Experience managing high-acuity hospital patients

·        Strong cardiac and neurological assessment skills

·        Ability to work effectively with a typical 2:1 patient assignment

·        Strong clinical judgment and critical-thinking ability

·        Ability to recognize and respond rapidly to changes in patient condition

·        Strong communication and interdisciplinary teamwork skills

Preferred Qualifications

Strong candidates may also have:

·        ACLS certification

·        Previous travel nursing experience

·        Experience in a mixed medical/surgical ICU

·        Cardiac ICU experience

·        Neuro ICU experience

·        Post-cardiovascular surgery experience

·        Trauma ICU experience

·        Mechanical ventilation experience

·        Vasoactive medication experience

·        Central line and arterial line management experience

·        Experience caring for post-operative critical-care patients

Key Clinical Skills

Successful candidates should be comfortable with:

·        Critical-care nursing

·        Continuous cardiac monitoring

·        Neurological assessments

·        Respiratory assessment

·        Mechanical ventilation support

·        High-risk medication administration

·        IV therapy

·        Central line care

·        Hemodynamic monitoring

·        Postoperative ICU care

·        Cardiac patient management

·        Neuro and neurosurgical patient care

·        Trauma patient care

·        Code response

·        Rapid clinical assessment

·        Patient and family education

·        Interdisciplinary communication

Schedule Requirements

·        Night Shift

·        7:00 PM – 7:30 AM

·        Three 12-hour shifts per week

·        36 hours per week

·        Every other weekend is required

·        No call requirement

Schedule may vary slightly based on unit and patient-care needs.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced ICU RN who is confident caring for complex and unstable patients across multiple critical-care specialties.

You should be comfortable managing a 2:1 patient assignment, making rapid clinical decisions, working collaboratively with intensivists and other healthcare professionals, and responding effectively during emergencies.

This opportunity may be a strong fit for professionals currently working as an:

·        ICU RN

·        Critical Care RN

·        Travel ICU RN

·        Medical ICU RN

·        Surgical ICU RN

·        Neuro ICU RN

·        Cardiac ICU RN

·        Trauma ICU RN

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants based on experience, education, licensure, certifications, clinical skills, and the requirements of the position.