ICU Registered Nurse (RN)

General Information

This position is for an ICU Registered Nurse within a mixed unit consisting of MICU, SICU, CICU, and TICU. The division is organized into pods, and floating to the CVICU side will only occur for experienced professionals in that specialty.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years of ICU nursing experience, excluding travel experience, is preferred.
• Candidates with 1.5 years of ICU experience, excluding travel, and significant RN experience outside of ICU may be considered for management approval.
• First-time travelers will not be accepted; a minimum of one prior travel assignment is required.
• Travelers must reside more than 100 miles away from any facility.
• Permanently employed nurses must wait one year before returning as travelers.

Patient Types

The ICU serves complex patients including:

• Surgical patients
• Medical patients
• Cardiac patients (preferably)
• Neuro patients
• Trauma patients

Common diagnoses include:

• ARDS
• Myocardial Infarction (MI)
• Stroke (CVA/TIA)
• COVID-19
• Post-cardiac catheterization
• Post-surgical care
• Multiple system trauma

Patient Ratios

The RN-to-patient ratios vary based on acuity:

• 1:1
• 1:2
• 1:3 (rare)

Required Certifications

• BLS
• ACLS
• NIHSS
• TNCC (Required) – travelers must be willing to obtain this certification prior to arrival.

Required Education

Completion of a board-approved nursing education program is mandatory; candidates must be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in South Dakota.

Skills Required

• Experience with Epic charting system.
• Must be comfortable working 48 hours per week.
• Experience with critical care patients specific to this unit.
• The ability to float between the ED and ICU as needed.
• Experience with IV medications, including vasopressors, sedation, and paralytics.
• Familiarity with hemodynamic lines, proning, ventilator management, telemetry, strong critical thinking, and assessment skills.
• Able to work well in team settings.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with critical patients.
• Experience with Impella, IABP, and CRRT is strongly preferred.

Support on the Unit

• CNA: 1-2 Nurse Aides per unit + mobility float aide.
• Charge Nurse: 2 Clinical RNs oversee all ICUs.
• Phlebotomy: Yes, peripheral blood draws only.
• IV/VAT Team: ICU Clinical RNs place all midlines.
• Resource Nurse: Available, staffing dependent.
• Respiratory Therapy: Available 24/7.
• Physicians: 3 Intensivists on days, 2 on nights, and an APP on nights.

Orientation

The orientation consists of the following:

• Hospital orientation: (1) 8-hour period and (1) 4-hour period to complete iLearns.
• Unit orientation: (2) 12-hour shifts, plus an additional (1) 12-hour independent shift for 48-hour travelers to meet required hours.

Scheduling

Weekend rotations will generally be attempted every other weekend, but this is not guaranteed.