Job Title: Registered Nurse
Profession: RN
Specialty: Cardio Thoracic Unit
Duration: 13 weeks
Shift: 12H Days
Hours per Shift: 12 hours
Experience: Minimum of 2 years
License: Active Illinois RN license or confirmation of application process initiation
Certifications: BLS required; ACLS recommended
Must-Have: EKG interpretation; medication titration; basic nursing skills; ability to read and interpret telemetry strips
Description:
This unit has a total of 70 beds.
Nurse-patient ratios are 1:4-5 during the day shift and 1:5-6 during the night shift.
Common diagnoses include myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and various lung surgeries.
Experience with chest tubes, esophagectomy, and general medical overflow is beneficial.
Registered Nurses are required to titrate drips, primarily Cardizem and heparin.
There is a charge nurse available 24/7 who rarely takes patients.
House supervisor support is available 24/7.
Patient care technicians assist with a ratio of 1:8-9 during the day shift and 1:10-12 during the night shift.
Registered Nurses must troubleshoot equipment including CPAP and BiPAP if these are the patient's home regimen.
Telemetry monitoring will be conducted using Phillips equipment, and nurses are responsible for reading and interpreting strips.
Shifts operate from 0700-1930 and 1900-0730.
Weekend work is required every other weekend, and holiday rotation is mandatory.
Registered Nurses may be required to float to other general medical units.
Scrub color is not specified, but cartoon prints are not permitted.
Initial orientation typically lasts one shift or part of one shift, depending on previous experience in similar settings.