Travel Progressive Care Unit RN - $2,758 per week

Care Career is seeking a travel nurse RN PCU - Progressive Care Unit for a travel nursing job in Des Moines, Iowa.

Job Description & Requirements

• Specialty: PCU - Progressive Care Unit
• Discipline: RN
• Start Date: 11/02/2026
• Duration: 13 weeks
• 48 hours per week
• Shift: 12 hours, nights
• Employment Type: Travel

Travel RN – Med-Surg / Stepdown

Shift: Nights
Schedule: 4x12-hour shifts
Hours: 48 hours/week, with an option to work 36 hours/week
Contract: 91 weeks
Rate listed: $92
EMR: Epic
Scrubs: Navy Blue
Orientation Dates: October 26 or November 9, 2026

Required Experience

• 24 months of recent hospital experience in Med-Surg, IMCU, Stepdown, or Progressive Care
• Neurology/neurosurgery experience required
• Orthopedic care experience required
• At least one completed travel assignment within the past 12 months — first-time travelers are not accepted
• Epic experience required
• Telemetry and EKG/strip interpretation experience required

Patient Population

• Neurological trauma
• Neurosurgery
• Craniectomy patients
• Orthopedic patients
• Trauma patients

Trauma Level I experience is highly preferred.

Required Drip Experience

• Heparin
• PCA
• 3% sodium chloride (hypertonic saline)

These medications are listed as non-titrated drips.

Required Certifications

• BLS — AHA or American Red Cross
• ACLS — AHA or American Red Cross
• Iowa RN license or Compact/Multistate license active at submission

Preferred:

• NIHSS
• De-escalation certification such as CPI, MOAB, MAB, or SAMA

Patient Ratios & Equipment

• 25-bed unit
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: approximately 1:5–6
• Telemetry
• Left-sided equipment (confirm exact equipment with the facility)
• Chest tubes
• Airvo

Floating Requirements

Must be willing to float across the following campuses:

• Iowa Methodist Medical Center
• Iowa Lutheran Hospital
• Other listed Iowa Methodist locations as assigned

Schedule & Holiday Requirements

• Night shifts, 4x12s
• 36 hours/week may be accommodated if preferred
• Weekend rotation: every other weekend or every third weekend, depending on staffing and census
• Must work 1–2 of the 3 upcoming winter holidays, unless the unit is closed
• Overtime/holiday multiplier: 1.15x
• Call-back multiplier: 1.5x, with a 2-hour minimum
• On-call rate: $9/hour
• Charge/preceptor rate: $6/hour

Local & Employment Restrictions

• No locals within 50 miles
• Distance is determined using the driver's license address
• Former UPH employees who worked as FTE or PRN in the UPH float pool within the past 12 months are ineligible for travel assignments in another market
• Previous UPH travelers are exempt from this particular separation rule

Submission Requirements

• Updated resume documenting 24 months of relevant hospital experience
• Specialty-specific skills checklist
• Active Iowa or Compact RN license verification through Nursys
• Driver's license
• Active BLS and ACLS
• Professional reference from a charge nurse, supervisor, manager, director, CNO, or COO is preferred
• NIHSS is preferred and can be obtained during onboarding

Key Screening Checklist

✓ 2 years of recent Med-Surg/IMCU/Stepdown/Progressive Care experience
✓ Neurology/neurosurgery experience
✓ Orthopedic experience
✓ Epic experience
✓ Telemetry and EKG interpretation
✓ Heparin, PCA, and 3% sodium chloride experience
✓ At least one completed travel assignment in the past 12 months
✓ Active Iowa/Compact RN license
✓ BLS and ACLS
✓ Willing to float across campuses
✓ Available for the required winter holiday rotation
✓ Permanent address at least 50 miles from the facility

About Care Career

Benefits

• Referral bonus
• Weekly pay
• Medical benefits
• Continuing Education
• Dental benefits
• Vision benefits