Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Start Date: 09-14-2026

End Date: 12-14-2026

Contract Type: Travel Contract

Shift Type: Nights, 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM, 12-hour shifts; every other weekend

Hours per Week: 36

Candidate Pay Rate: $73 per hour

About United Health Care Staffing

At United Health Care Staffing (UHC Staffing), we believe healthcare staffing should be more than just finding a job. We are here to connect amazing professionals with opportunities that make their careers exciting, rewarding, and meaningful. With us, you're not just signing up for a contract you are joining a team that's got your back, answers your calls, and maybe even cracks a joke or two to brighten your day. Think of us as the travel buddy who handles the logistics while you focus on what you do best helping people heal.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate, high-acuity nursing care to adult and pediatric ICU patients with complex conditions, including neuro, cardiac, trauma, and post-procedural cases.
• Monitor and manage ventilators, telemetry, CRRT, IABP, and balloon pumps, collaborating closely with intensivists, RTs, and the multidisciplinary team.
• Deliver life-saving interventions for conditions like stroke (TPA), hypothermia, ECMO, Impella, TAVR, and EVAR, always prioritizing patient safety and comfort.
• Act as charge nurse when needed, coordinate care plans, and float to telemetry to support the team (4:1 ratio) while maintaining high standards.
• Document efficiently in Cerner and serve as a trusted resource for patients and families during some of their most critical moments.

Qualifications

• Active California RN license (or ability to obtain before start) - BSN not required.
• Minimum of 2 years of ICU experience.
• Current BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS certifications required.
• PALS and CCRN strongly preferred.
• Experience with Cerner charting, ventilator management, and telemetry is a plus.

Education

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) accepted

Knowledge & Skills

• Expertise in ICU nursing, including ventilator management and telemetry monitoring
• Proficiency with Cerner EMR
• Familiarity with CRRT, IABP, balloon pump, ECMO, and Impella support devices (with experience)
• Ability to work 12-hour night shifts, including every other weekend
• Comfort with floating to telemetry and responding to call within 30 minutes
• Strong critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage to keep you and your family healthy
• Generous housing stipend or travel reimbursement for qualified candidates
• 401K retirement savings plan to help you plan for the future
• Referral bonus program - earn rewards by bringing friends along
• Lodging and meals assistance while on assignment
• A supportive team that values YOU and keeps your needs front and center

Travel Perks: Explore Santa Cruz, CA

When you're not saving lives, soak up Santa Cruz's beach town charm: ride the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, stroll the wharf and watch sea lions, hike among ancient redwoods at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, or catch some of the best surfing in California at Steamer Lane. Take a weekend trip to Monterey Bay or drive along the Pacific Coast Highway for breathtaking coastal views.

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#TravelNurse #ICUJobs #SantaCruzJobs #CaliforniaNursingJobs #HealthcareJobs #UHCCareers #RNLife #CriticalCareNurse #DominicanHospital #NurseJobs