USN is seeking experienced Stepdown Registered Nurses (SDU RNs / PCU RNs) for specialized assignments caring for medically complex patients requiring intermediate-level care and close clinical monitoring. This opportunity is ideal for nurses with strong acute care, progressive care, and critical care backgrounds who are comfortable managing a diverse patient population with respiratory, infectious disease, behavioral health, and chronic medical conditions.
As a Travel Stepdown RN, you'll provide advanced nursing care for patients who require more monitoring than a general medical-surgical floor but do not meet ICU-level criteria. You'll collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to manage complex treatment plans, monitor patient condition changes, and help patients progress safely through recovery.
About the Role
This Stepdown assignment focuses on caring for a diverse population of medically complex patients requiring continuous assessment, respiratory support, cardiac monitoring, and multidisciplinary care coordination.
Patient populations commonly include:
- Pneumonia patients
- COVID-19 patients
- Infectious disease cases
- Chest tube management patients
- Sickle cell patients
- Behavioral health dual-diagnosis patients
- Substance withdrawal patients
- Overdose recovery patients
- Diabetic patients requiring higher-acuity monitoring
Nurses must be comfortable caring for patients receiving:
- CPAP therapy
- BiPAP therapy
- Chest tube management
- Non-titrating medication drips
- Respiratory monitoring and support
- Behavioral health observation and interventions
This role requires excellent assessment skills, critical thinking, and the ability to recognize subtle changes in patient condition before rapid deterioration occurs.
Key Responsibilities
Progressive Care & Stepdown Nursing
- Provide comprehensive nursing care to stepdown and progressive care patients
- Perform detailed patient assessments and ongoing monitoring
- Monitor cardiac rhythm, oxygenation status, respiratory function, and neurological status
- Administer medications, IV therapies, and physician-ordered treatments
- Manage non-titrating drips and complex medication regimens
- Recognize and respond to changes in patient condition
- Collaborate with physicians and interdisciplinary healthcare teams to optimize patient outcomes
Respiratory & Medical Management
- Monitor patients requiring CPAP and BiPAP support
- Care for patients with pneumonia, COVID-19, and other respiratory conditions
- Manage chest tube patients and monitor for complications
- Support patients recovering from acute medical and surgical illnesses
- Monitor and manage infectious disease precautions and protocols
Behavioral Health & Complex Care
- Care for behavioral health patients with dual diagnoses
- Support patients experiencing substance withdrawal or overdose recovery
- Monitor diabetic patients with complex medical needs
- Provide compassionate, patient-centered care in challenging clinical situations
Documentation & Quality Care
- Accurately document patient assessments, interventions, and outcomes in EMR/EHR systems including Epic and Cerner
- Participate in discharge planning and care transitions
- Follow HIPAA, patient safety, and infection prevention standards
- Collaborate with case management and interdisciplinary teams to support continuity of care
Minimum Qualifications
- Active Registered Nurse (RN) license
- Minimum of 2 years of recent Stepdown, Progressive Care (PCU), Telemetry, or Critical Care experience
- Current BLS certification
- Strong patient assessment and clinical decision-making skills
- Experience caring for medically complex adult populations
- Ability to thrive in fast-paced acute care environments
Preferred Experience
- Stepdown Unit (SDU)
- Progressive Care Unit (PCU)
- Telemetry Nursing
- Medical Stepdown
- Respiratory Care Patients
- COVID Care Units
- Infectious Disease Units
- Chest Tube Management
- CPAP/BiPAP Monitoring
- Behavioral Health Medical Units
- Substance Withdrawal Management
- ICU or Critical Care Background
- Epic or Cerner EMR Systems
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Stepdown RN is an adaptable and highly observant nurse who excels in caring for medically complex patients requiring frequent assessment and intervention. You are comfortable managing respiratory conditions, infectious diseases, behavioral health challenges, and multiple co-morbidities while providing compassionate, evidence-based patient care.
Important Assignment Information
Healthcare professionals must complete all required credentialing and compliance requirements before travel.
USN prioritizes travel arrangements for healthcare professionals with complete credentialing files. Healthcare professionals arriving with missing or outstanding requirements may not be eligible to work the assignment or strike deployment.
Why Nurses Choose USN
USN places highly skilled clinicians in critical healthcare environments where their expertise makes an immediate impact. Our healthcare professionals benefit from competitive compensation, dedicated support, rapid deployment opportunities, and assignments that allow them to deliver exceptional patient care in challenging and rewarding settings.
If you're an experienced Stepdown RN, PCU RN, or Telemetry Nurse with experience managing respiratory, infectious disease, and medically complex patient populations, apply today and bring your expertise to a team focused on exceptional patient outcomes.
USN is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $100.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Referral program
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: On the road
