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.