Registered Nurse Cardiac Stepdown

Job Title

Registered Nurse – Cardiac Stepdown

Location

Salisbury, NC

Schedule / Job Type

Contract | Onsite | Nights (12-Hour Shifts, 18:45–07:15) | 36 Hours per Week | 13–26 Week Assignment

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care on a high-acuity cardiac stepdown unit serving as the primary cardiac and stroke unit, managing a patient assignment of up to 5–6 patients per shift with potential for high turnover (78–90 patients per week unit-wide)
• Monitor and manage pre- and post-procedure cardiac patients including those recovering from pacemaker implantation, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, cardiac catheterization, and interventional peripheral vascular procedures
• Initiate and titrate cardiac drips including Cardizem, Dopamine, and Amiodarone; manage patients on telemetry and pulse oximetry monitoring
• Care for patients with diagnoses including unstable angina, CHF, dysrhythmias, CVA, TIA, and low-risk chest pain; manage patients on non-rebreather masks, BiPAP (chronic use only), and high-flow oxygen with stable O2 saturation
• Perform IV starts, apply TR bands, and utilize special equipment including telemetry monitors, Blanketrol, and Pyxis medication dispensing systems; document using EPIC (Dimensions) and communicate via SBAR
• Participate in on-call rotation, float as required, and adhere to scheduling requirements including every-other-weekend and designated Monday/Friday commitments within a 6-week period

Required Qualifications

• Active RN license in North Carolina or a compact state license (pending licensure acceptable for submission)
• Minimum 2 years of experience in cardiac stepdown or a comparable high-acuity setting with similar patient ratios and acuity levels
• Current ACLS, BLS, and NIH Stroke Scale certifications
• Proficiency in IV insertion, telemetry monitoring, and management of cardiac drips and PCI patients
• Must pass EKG testing prior to start
• Comfort managing a patient load of up to 6 patients in a fast-paced, high-turnover environment

Preferred Experience / Skills

• Prior travel nursing experience (first-time travelers will be considered)
• Familiarity with EPIC (Dimensions) electronic health record system and Pyxis medication management
• Experience caring for patients on BiPAP, high-flow oxygen, and opti-flow devices
• Experience titrating Cardizem drips and managing post-PCI and stroke patients

Why Join Us

• Work on a dynamic, high-volume cardiac and stroke unit with a team lead available to assist with admissions and discharges, offering strong clinical development opportunities
• Flexible contract lengths of 13–26 weeks with self-scheduling options and leadership oversight to support work-life balance