Location: National City, CA

Start Date: 12-22-2025

End Date: 03-22-2026

Contract Type: Travel Contract

Shift Type: Rotating coverage for a 24-hour inpatient crisis stabilization unit — shift times vary to provide day and night coverage (includes day and night shifts; schedule set by unit staffing)

Candidate Pay Rate: $53 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

• Stabilize patients in crisis by applying evidence-based psychiatric nursing interventions with compassion and safety
• Provide continuous 24-hour observation and monitoring for inpatient behavioral health patients
• Perform thorough psychiatric assessments and document findings clearly and timely
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to develop and implement individualized care plans
• De-escalate acute situations using therapeutic communication and crisis management techniques
• Administer medications and treatments as ordered while monitoring for side effects and response
• Educate patients and families about coping strategies, safety planning, and available resources
• Maintain compliance with unit protocols, Prime competency exams, and required screenings

Qualifications

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license (Nursys verification required)
• BLS certification required
• NIHSS and DCI/BVP certifications required
• Prime Core Competencies Exam, Prime Skills Checklist, and Prime Specialty Exam completion required
• COVID-19 vaccination and standard health screenings (MMR, TB test/chest x-ray, Hep B, Varicella, Tdap, Influenza) as listed by the facility
• Fit test and minimum 10-panel drug screen required
• Preferred: 2 years' experience in psychiatric/inpatient behavioral health (preferred, not strictly required)

Education

• Registered Nurse (RN) — active state RN licensure (degree not specifically listed in posting)

Knowledge & Skills

• Crisis stabilization and psychiatric nursing best practices
• 24-hour patient observation and safety monitoring
• Therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques
• Accurate clinical documentation and care planning in inpatient settings
• Ability to work independently in an autonomous unit while collaborating with the care team
• Familiarity with Prime testing processes and competency validation

Benefits

• Generous travel support and reimbursement to make your contract smooth and stress-free
• Licensure assistance and Nursys verification support to keep you credentialed and confident
• Comprehensive onboarding with required testing support (Prime exams and checklists) so you hit the floor ready
• Paid time to complete required health screenings and fit testing — we help you stay compliant
• A supportive multidisciplinary team that values your psychiatric nursing expertise
• Flexible scheduling conversations to help balance life and work during your assignment
• Opportunity to expand your behavioral health skill set in an independent, crisis-focused unit
• Referral program and internal recognition for clinicians who go above and beyond

Travel Perks: Explore National City, CA

This assignment places you in the South Bay area near National City and Chula Vista with easy access to San Diego. Enjoy nearby waterfront parks, Coronado Island and its beaches, Balboa Park museums and gardens, and scenic hikes at Torrey Pines. Sample an excellent variety of local restaurants and craft breweries, explore Seaport Village and the USS Midway Museum for weekend outings, or take quick day trips to La Jolla and the greater San Diego coast for surfing, kayaking, and coastal trails.

Hashtags

#RegisteredNurseJobs #RNJobs #NationalCityCAJobs #SanDiegoRN #BehavioralHealthJobs #PsychiatricNursing #CrisisStabilization #TravelNurse #UHCCareers