Registered Nurse (2026-0826)

About the role

The staff RN is a licensed professional who assumes responsibility and accountability for a group of patients for a designated time frame, providing safe, quality care utilizing the nursing process as the basis for clinical practice.

Responsibilities

• Assesses, guides, directs, and facilitates workflow on the unit
• Recognizes when it is necessary for the charge nurse to assume a patient assignment and assumes that role
• Makes staff assignments that reflect patient acuity, continuity of care, staff competency, and the necessity of admit, transfer, and discharge activity
• Mentors staff, float, and agency personnel regarding unit/department/hospital policies, procedures/standards, and annual goals and objectives
• Integrates new staff and agency staff into the culture of the unit
• Functions as a leader and role model for clinical staff
• Acts as a clinical resource to unit staff
• Demonstrates safe use of patient care equipment and can teach others to use equipment safely
• Identifies as a resource for other care teams as necessary
• Monitors and evaluates nursing care given to each patient by direct observation, consultation, and patient rounds
• Assesses unit/environmental safety during patient rounds and reports/corrects deficiencies
• Maintains awareness of Joint Commission standards, state codes, and practice acts
• Routinely monitors documentation, compliance with standards, and facilitates rapid turn-around cycles
• Demonstrates excellent customer service skills; responds to patient and family concerns/complaints
• Reports significant events (patient/staff/physician/visitor) to administrative supervisors/manager and activates the chain of command per policy
• Provides input into performance appraisal of clinical staff on assigned shift by documenting feedback and/or communicating concerns to manager/supervisor
• Evaluates and provides adequate coverage for breaks
• Maintains fiscal responsibility by monitoring and adjusting staffing during shift and determines staffing needs for the following shift by utilizing sound clinical judgment
• Accepts personal responsibility to maintain competencies for direct patient care and team leadership
• Communicates and collaborates with bed placement and the clinical resource to ensure clinical placement is expedited

Requirements

• BSN preferred
• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of Washington
• Successful completion of a graduate nurse residency program orientation or six months’ experience as a Registered Nurse
• Current BLS certification through American Heart Association or American Red Cross

Preferred qualifications for advancement to Charge Nurse role

• BSN
• Two years’ practice in clinical nursing/leadership in area of responsibility
• Unit-specific prerequisites (see below)

Unit-specific prerequisites

• Admit and Discharge: ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire
• CCU/ED Float Pool RN: ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire; TNCC within 12 months of hire; ENPC certification within 12 months of hire; one year of Emergency and/or Critical Care nursing experience
• Clinical Administrative Resource (CAR): ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire; minimum of one (preferably two) years of experience in Critical Care, PACU, or Emergency Services
• Critical Care/Resident: ACLS within 3 months of hire; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire; minimum of one year of Emergency/Critical Care nursing experience
• Electrophysiology: Two years of EP Lab and/or Cath Lab experience preferred; Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist preferred
• Emergency Department RN/Resident: ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire; TNCC within 12 months of hire; ENPC certification within 12 months of hire; one year of Emergency nursing experience preferred or successful completion of ED residency
• Endoscopy: ACLS within 3 months of hire; preferred 6 months of previous experience in endoscopy or 1 year med/surg nursing experience
• General Medicine: Chemotherapy Certification obtained within 12 months of hire (not required for General Medicine Per Diems)
• Labor & Delivery/Resident: NRP within 3 months of hire; ACLS within 3 months of hire; Intermediate or Advanced Fetal Monitoring Certification (AWHONN) or C-EFM certification; six months of labor and delivery experience as an RN or successful completion of residency
• Main OR Perioperative: Successful completion of OR nurse residency or 1 year minimum previous OR experience
• Maternal Child Float Pool: NRP within 3 months of hire; minimum 1 year of experience in mother baby, level II NICU including CPAP; competent to perform patient assignments in mother baby care and level II NICU including CPAP within 6 months of hire
• Medical-Surgical: 3 months of Med/Surg RN experience or successful completion of a residency program; ECG interpretation course within 6 months of hire; 1 year experience of Med/Surg nursing
• Medical-Surgical Neurology/Stroke Unit: ECG interpretation course within 6 months of hire; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire; 8 hours of Neuro education within 12 months of hire and annually thereafter
• Mother Baby: NRP within 3 months of hire; six months of mother baby experience as a Registered Nurse or successful completion of residency
• Neonatal Intensive Care: NRP within 3 months of hire; six months’ Level II NICU experience or successful completion of a NICU residency program
• Oncology: Successful completion of The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Oncology Fundamentals course within 3 months of hire; successful completion of The ONS Chemotherapy Biotherapy course and VMC clinical chemotherapy competencies within 3 months of hire; Oncology Certification (OCN) for all RNs who administer chemotherapy within 3 years of hire
• Perioperative Resource Team: ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; completion of PRT orientation within 12 months of hire; preferred PACU Nursing Experience
• Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU): ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; preferred ED, PACU, ICU or 2 years med/surg nursing experience with cardiac telemetry
• SPCU RN: ACLS within 3 months of hire; experience in Interventional Radiology and/or Procedural Setting preferred
• STAT RN: ACLS & PALS within 3 months of hire; minimum of one (preferably two) years of experience in Critical Care or Emergency Services; NIHSS certification within 3 months of hire
• Surgical Joint/Spine Orthopedic: ACLS within 3 months of hire; Surgical Joint/Spine Orthopedic certification within 3 years of hire

Physical demands and working conditions

• Must be able to provide safe patient handling as defined in VMC’s Safe Patient Handling guidelines and policies to safely and appropriately transfer or move patients (or objects) of varying abilities, weights, and amounts of staff assistance
• Must be able to lift from the floor to overhead levels and carry items at waist level up to 40 pounds; requires ability to participate in team lifting
• Must be able to operate patient lifting equipment and patient handling devices accurately and safely
• Requires the ability to stoop, bend, reach, crouch, and squat; requires standing and walking for extensive periods of time as required for patient care, moving patients or supplies to other units, hourly rounding, bedside shift report, and other nursing duties
• Requires full body range of motion including ability to reach from floor to overhead levels, manual and finger dexterity, and eye-hand coordination
• Requires corrected vision, hearing to normal range, and ability to distinguish colors

Pay

$48.82 – $89.19 per hour, based on experience.