Registered Nurse - ICU
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Start Date: 03-16-2026
End Date: 06-15-2026
Contract Type: Travel Contract
Shift Type: Nights, 12-hour shifts (night), every other weekend or equivalent (EOW); first-to-float for MedSurg/Tele; 36 hours/week guaranteed (night shift)
Hours per Week: 36
Candidate Pay Rate: $84 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
- Assess and manage critically ill patients in the ICU and ICU-CV recovery unit with focused, evidence-based care
- Monitor and interpret telemetry and EKG strips, taking appropriate action for arrhythmias and acute changes
- Administer and titrate vasoactive drips and other critical medications per protocol
- Collaborate in multidisciplinary rounds with physicians, RT, pharmacists, and other team members to optimize patient outcomes
- Provide ventilator management oversight in partnership with respiratory therapy
- Perform patient-focused care for a variety of diagnoses including respiratory failure, sepsis, AMI, ARDS, CABG, TAVR, and neuro cases
- Float to MedSurg/Tele units as required and maintain flexibility to meet unit staffing needs
- Document thoroughly in Cerner and complete required orientation competencies and skills validation
Qualifications
- Active RN license (able to submit license for CA assignments)
- Minimum 2 years of critical care/ICU (ED/ICU/PICU) experience
- Required certifications: BLS, ACLS, NIHSS
- Strong EKG interpretation skills; basic EKG test required during orientation
- Experience with Cerner charting system is required
- Comfortable with 1:1 and 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratios and high-acuity care
- Willingness to float to MedSurg/Tele units (4E, 4W, 5E, 5W, 6E)
- No first-time travel nurses — prior travel experience required for travelers
Education
- Active RN license required
- BSN preferred but not required (posting indicates BSN Required: No)
Knowledge & Skills
- Telemetry monitoring (Spacelabs) and independent tele strip review
- Ventilator basics and collaboration with RT for ventilator management
- Management of vasoactive drips and advanced cardiac medications
- Conscious sedation monitoring and procedural support
- Familiarity with IV pumps, Omnicell workflows, and unit communication systems (pagers, internal phones)
- Exposure to cardiac devices and therapies (CABG, TAVR, Impella) is a plus
- Experience or exposure to CRRT, IABP, and ICP monitoring is beneficial but not required
Benefits
- Supportive team environment where your critical care skills are valued and celebrated
- Comprehensive onboarding with unit orientation plus East/West tower float orientation to set you up for success
- Guaranteed hours each week for predictable scheduling (36 hours/week noted)
- Flexible 12-hour shift model that enables work-life chunking and longer off-time between blocks
- Licensure assistance and credential support to help you stay ready-to-work
- Travel support and local resource guidance for contract clinicians
- Access to 24/7 RT and pharmacy support so you can focus on patient care
- A culture that encourages multidisciplinary rounds and professional growth
Travel Perks: Explore Bakersfield, CA
Explore Bakersfield’s local flavor on your time off: visit Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace for live music and country culture, wander the Kern County Museum and Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, stroll Hart Park along the Kern River, or enjoy local Basque dining — a Bakersfield tradition. Outdoor lovers can take day trips to the nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon areas, hike local trails, or head to Lake Isabella for water recreation. For quick urban escapes, Fresno and the Sierras are driveable for weekend adventures.
Apply Now
Ready to start your next adventure as a Registered Nurse - ICU? Let's get you moving forward!
Send your resume to [email protected] or call us at 408-441-9200 today.
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