Psych

Behavioral Health / Psychiatric Nurse — Travel Contract

Des Moines, IA | Nights | 13-Week Contract

This inpatient behavioral health position covers a psychiatric float pool, rotating across geriatric, adolescent, and adult psych units. The home unit is the adult psychiatry floor, with float coverage to like units across multiple Des Moines campuses.

Shift & Schedule

• Nights: 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM, Monday–Friday
• 40 hours/week | Every other weekend required
• No on-call obligations
• Holiday requirement: 1–2 of the following — Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's

Patient Population & Clinical Scope

• Acute psychiatric patients with major mental health illness
• Chronic behavioral presentations including aggression, mania, violence, and self-harm
• All age groups: adolescent, adult, and geriatric
• Restraint competency required

Scrub Color: Navy blue, solids

Required Qualifications

• Active Iowa RN license or compact/multistate license at time of submission
• Minimum 15 months of psychiatric/behavioral health experience (24 months on work history preferred)
• Experience across all age groups: adolescent, adult, and geriatric
• Current inpatient psych experience highly preferred
• BLS (AHA or ARC) — active and current
• De-escalation certification (MOAB, MAB, or CPI) preferred; may be obtained during onboarding
• Skills checklist specific to psych/behavioral health required
• Professional reference from a charge nurse, supervisor, or nurse manager within the past 24 months

Additional Notes

• First-time travelers accepted with at least 12 months of psych/BH experience
• Candidates must reside at least 50 miles from the facility