10 Louisiana Step-Down Unit (SDU) Jobs
Contract Details
Travel Pay Breakdown
Benefits
Additional Information
Required Skills/Experience: First-time travelers must have 2 years of permanent staff RN experience in acute care. Titratable gtt experience with Cardene, Cardizem, Insulin, Heparin, Neo, and Levophed required; exceptions may be considered with manager approval.
Preferred Skills/Experience: Chest tube management, trachs, peritoneal dialysis, i-STAT, and CSF (lumbar) drain experience preferred.
Required Credentials: EKG competency exam required prior to arrival.
Special Requests: Travelers must be separated for 1 year if previously permanent staff. Up to 7 days of RTO; must extend 1 week for every full week requested off. Only 1 weekend of RTO may be requested per 13-week contract.
Unit Details: Stroke/stepdown patient population includes CVA/TIA requiring TPA administration, spinal surgical patients (ACDF, laminectomy), and stepdown overflow including AFIB/RVR, DKA, HTN, COPD, ARF, and s/p heart caths. RN ratio 1:3; CNA ratio 1:9. Telemetry monitoring uses cardiac monitors in each patient room connected to Space Lab at the nurse's station, with remote monitoring as backup; nurse is responsible for primary monitoring and printing strips each shift. Uses Alaris IV pumps and Pyxis medication dispensing.
Shift & Scheduling: Every other weekend. Will work 4 days one week and 3 days the next week; this is mandatory. Night shift follows a 5/2 schedule: one group works every Monday/Tuesday (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday one week; Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday the next), working 5 on, 5 off, 2 on, 2 off; the other group works every Wednesday/Thursday (Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday one week; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday the next), working 5 off, 5 on, 2 off, 2 on. No call. Will work 2 of 3 holidays.
Floating Requirements: May float to Stepdown and MedSurg with ratios of 1:5-6.
Pre-employment modules may be required for this role. Please upload any certifications or health documents you have to your profile to expedite your on-boarding process.
To help match you with the right jobs, we use AI tools (our own and some from outside partners) to review your application and see how your background lines up with what each role needs. By applying, you agree to let us use your application and personal data for this.
Step-Down Unit Travel Nurse Job Responsibilities and Salary
Job responsibilities of a Step-Down nurse include maintaining ventilators, administering treatments and medications, collaborating with members of the healthcare team, and interacting with patients and their families. Registered Nurses who specialize in Step-Down Unit will need BLS and ACLS certifications. They will manage many high-risk IV medications such as Heparin or Insulin infusions. The average nurse-to-patient ratio is usually between 3 and 4 patients; this may vary depending on the facility. Average annual salaries in the United States for a Step-Down nurse are around $88,000. Salaries may be higher if the nurse has relevant certifications.
Step-Down Unit (SDU) Travel Nurse Jobs in Louisiana
Step-Down (SDU) nurses work in hospital and skilled rehab settings. The SDU is an intermediate unit between the ICU and med-surg. It is also called a Progressive Care or Transitional Care Unit. Patients are not as acutely ill as in the ICU, but are also not stable enough to be on a med-surg unit with a higher nurse-to-patient ratio. Job descriptions note excellent critical thinking skills and prior emergency or critical care experience. Are you looking for your dream job? Explore our Step-Down travel nurse opportunities below!
