ICU

Surgical ICU – RN (Night Shift)

Location: Houston, TX

Shift: 12-hour nights (7:00 PM – 7:00 AM), every other weekend

Contract: 13 weeks

Start Date: October 5, 2026

About the Role

You'll provide direct, intensive nursing care to post-operative and critically ill surgical patients in a busy surgical ICU. This role demands strong clinical judgment, quick decision-making, and the ability to manage complex, rapidly changing patient conditions.

Patient Population & Clinical Scope

Care for high-acuity patients including those recovering from major vascular surgeries (endarterectomies, femoral-popliteal bypasses), organ transplants (liver, kidney), complex abdominal procedures (colectomies, exploratory laparotomies, abdominal aneurysm repairs), ENT and oncologic resections, and deep tissue flap procedures. You'll manage patients with compromised airways, complex infections, and significant post-operative needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess and continuously monitor patients; recognize early signs of deterioration and escalate promptly
• Titrate vasoactive drips (vasopressin, epinephrine, levophed, dobutamine, dopamine) and sedation/analgesia (fentanyl, hydromorphone, ketamine, versed)
• Manage mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring, chest tubes, and multiple surgical drains
• Perform hemodynamic monitoring and CRRT management
• Collaborate with intensivists, physicians, and the care team on treatment plans
• Read your own telemetry strips and respond to arrhythmias
• Float to other ICUs within the facility as needed

Requirements

• Active RN license (or compact license)
• BLS, ACLS, NIHSS certifications required
• 3+ years ICU experience strongly preferred; prior travel nursing and experience in high-acuity settings preferred
• Proficiency with ventilators, hemodynamic lines, chest tubes, and titratable drips
• Strong communication and critical thinking skills

What to Expect

• Intensivist and APP support 24/7
• Respiratory therapist on-site 24/7
• Charge nurse present (may carry assignment depending on staffing)
• Four to six weekend shifts per 6-week period
• Must be flexible with scheduling; no self-scheduling
• Oriented over 2 shifts
• Professional dress code: teal bottoms, black or coordinating printed scrub top; professional nails (no acrylics, shellac, or dip)