RN - 19175514

Tacoma General Hospital•Tacoma, WA

About The Position

This Float Pool Registered Nurse position provides nursing care across hospital units, including PCU, Telemetry, MedSurg, and ER Holding. The role may also involve floating to a nearby facility to provide patient care within the nurse’s scope of practice. The ED Holding area is the primary unit, with possible floating to the inpatient PCU. Patient populations and conditions include neuro, trauma, surgical, and medical cases; respiratory compromise, sepsis, renal failure, bleeding disorders, CHF, COPD, pneumonia, orthopedic cases, and strokes. Cardiac Stepdown (CCU) cases may include post-operative CABG/TAVRs, STEMIs, fem-pops, pacemakers, and ablations. Patient ratios are 1:4 in PCU and 1:5–6 in MedSurg. The department provides CNA assistance, a charge RN without a patient assignment, 24/7 hospitalist coverage, 24/7 respiratory therapists, and on-call cardiac and specialty physicians. Orientation includes one day of general hospital orientation, one 12-hour day of PCU unit orientation, and one day of light unit orientation. Telemetry competency is required. Scheduling is organized in three-week increments, with shifts scheduled 7–10 days in advance. Weekend rotation is required every other weekend, with back-to-back shifts possible but rare. Time-off requests are accepted, with up to five days approved. Professional, solid-color scrubs are required, and free parking is provided in a designated garage. Work expectations include documenting hourly rounding and patient interactions on whiteboards; not leaving medications at the bedside or in scrub pockets during shifts; using two-nurse verification when wasting medications, including narcotics and benzodiazepines; documenting patient pain levels before and after pain medication administration (30 minutes after IV medication and one hour after oral medication); and taking regular mandatory breaks.

Requirements

At least 1 year of nursing experience.
BLS certification.
ACLS certification.
NIHSS certification.
Telemetry competency.
Ability to titrate IV medications and interpret cardiac rhythms.
Experience managing BiPAP, ostomies, general drains, tracheostomies, chest tubes, and lumbar drains.
Familiarity with EMR, specifically EPIC.
Professional, solid-color scrubs.

Nice To Haves

First-time travelers are accepted with a strong background in PCU/Telemetry and float pool experience.
Experience with TR bands preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide nursing care across PCU, Telemetry, MedSurg, and ER Holding, and potentially at a nearby facility within the scope of practice.
Provide care primarily in the ED Holding area, with possible assignment to the inpatient PCU.
Care for patients with the listed medical, surgical, trauma, neurologic, respiratory, renal, orthopedic, and cardiac conditions.
Manage IV medication titration and interpret cardiac rhythms.
Manage BiPAP, ostomies, general drains, tracheostomies, chest tubes, and lumbar drains.
Document hourly rounding and patient interactions on whiteboards.
Document patient pain levels before and after pain medication administration at the specified intervals.
Follow medication handling and two-nurse verification procedures.
Participate in the required every-other-weekend rotation and take regular mandatory breaks.