PCU Registered Nurse Job in Des Moines, IA

Join UnityPoint – Iowa Methodist Medical Center as a Registered Nurse in our Progressive Care Unit (PCU) on the night shift. This is a temporary travel assignment offering competitive weekly pay of $2,812 for a 91-day contract beginning October 26, 2026.

Role Overview

You will work in a 25-bed PCU with a patient ratio of 1:5–6, caring for complex patient populations including heavy neuro trauma, neurosurgery, craniectomy, and orthopedic cases. You may float across multiple campuses including Iowa Methodist Medical Center and Iowa Lutheran as needed based on unit census and staffing.

Schedule

This position runs 4x12 nights with rotating weekend schedules (every other or every third weekend depending on staffing and census). There are no on-call responsibilities, though you are required to work 1–2 of the 3 upcoming winter holidays unless the unit closes.

Clinical Requirements

• 24 months of Medical-Surgical, IMCU, Stepdown, or Progressive Care experience in a hospital or medical center setting
• Neurology/neurosurgery care experience required
• Orthopedic care experience required
• Trauma care experience highly preferred (Trauma Level I experience highly preferred)
• EKG/strip reading, measuring, and telemetry experience required
• Drip experience with Heparin, PCA, and 3% Sodium/Na (no titration)
• Specialty equipment experience highly preferred: telemetry, left equipment, chest tubes, and Airvo
• EPIC EMR experience required
• Must have completed at least one travel assignment in the previous 12 months

Certifications & Credentials

• Active Iowa license or compact/multistate license required
• BLS (AHA/ARC) and ACLS (AHA/ARC) required
• De-escalation certificate preferred (CPI, MOAB, MAB, or SAMA accepted)
• NIHSS preferred and can be obtained during onboarding

Additional Information

Scrub color is navy blue. All candidates must be at least 50 miles from the facility. This assignment is not available to first-time travelers.