You'll work a 20-bed unit that functions like an ICU step-down, with an ADC of 18. This role comes through American Traveler, a staffing partner, so ask which facility you would land in.
Posted Oct 3
Shift and hours
Day shifts, three 12-hour shifts a week · 12-hour day shifts, 6:45 to 19:15 Shift: Days, 3x12hrs Day shift schedule, 3x12 hours from 6:45 to 19:1536 hours a week
Unit and setting
Progressive care unit (PCU) · Hospital Patient population spans adolescent, adult, and geriatricAdolescent, adult and geriatric patients
License
RN license Active RN license (NC or Compact) requiredActive RN license, NC or compact
Term
16 weeks · starts Oct 26, 2026 · Travel
Do you qualify?
License
Active RN license, NC or compactActive RN license (NC or Compact) requiredCheck your license
Certification
BLSBLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale certifications required
Certification
ACLS
Certification
NIH Stroke Scale
Experience
2 years of relevant RN experienceMinimum 2 years of relevant RN experience required
Experience
2+ years PCU or stepdown experiencerequiring 2+ years of PCU/stepdown experience
Experience
Arterial line and vasoactive drip titration experienceExperience with arterial lines and titrating vasoactive drips required
Experience
Conscious sedation, telemetry and dysrhythmia experienceExperience with conscious sedation, telemetry monitoring, and dysrhythmia interpretation/management required
Experience
IV insulin, blood product and heparin protocol experienceExperience with IV insulin protocols, blood product administration, and heparin protocols required
Experience
Central, peripheral and PICC line experienceExperience with central line, peripheral line, and PICC line care/management required
CPAP/BIPAP, high-flow and non-invasive airway experienceExperience with external CPAP/BIPAP, high flow nasal cannula, nasal cannula, and non-invasive airway management required
Experience
Tracheostomy and isolation precautions experienceTracheostomy management and isolation precautions experience required
Also asks
Pass EKG test before startMust pass EKG testing prior to start
Also asks
12-month wait after prior PERM/PRN/EP work with Novant or New HanoverPrevious PERM/PRN/EP employment with Novant Health or New Hanover requires a 12-month wait before applying as a traveler
What it pays
Against similar roles
Below most North Carolina travel postingsNorth Carolina travel postings that state pay run $1,560/week to $2,450/week, the middle half $1,710/week to $2,050/week, across 217 postings.
Pay reviews
Local candidates paid a reduced rate within 50 milesLocal candidates accepted at a reduced rate within 50 miles of the facilityWithin 50 miles of the facility
The role and schedule
Charting
Epic and PyxisUses Pyxis and Epic systems
Day to day
Telemetry and dysrhythmia monitoring and treatmentResponsible for monitoring, recognizing, and treating cardiac dysrhythmias using bedside telemetry with remote backup
Day to day
Rapid response team activations as neededParticipates in rapid response team activations as needed
Day to day
Pre- and post-OB patients on PitocinPre/post OB patients with complications such as Pitocin administration
Day to day
A-lines, BIPAP, chest tubes and trach care; no ventilatorsUnit equipped with A-lines, BIPAP, chest tubes, and tracheostomy care, but no ventilators
Floating
Floats to the sister ICCU as neededFloating required as needed to sister ICCU unit
Unit size
20-bed unit with an ADC of 18PCU unit functioning similarly to an ICU step-down with 20 beds and an ADC of 18
Weekends
Every other weekendWeekend requirement of every other weekend
Scheduling
No self-scheduling
Holidays
Work 2 of 3 major holidaysMust work 2 of 3 major holidays
Start
Starts Oct 26, 2026Start Date: Oct 26, 2026
Details
No block scheduling; nurse manager creates the scheduleNo block scheduling; schedule created by nurse manager
Details
16-week assignmentLength: 16 weeks
Details
13-week minimum contract, longer assignments possibleMinimum 13-week contract length, with openness to longer assignments
Details
Navy or white scrubs, or bothNavy, white, or a combination of both scrub colors required
Details
First-week orientation; attendance required for all classesHospital orientation occurs during the first week, with required attendance for all classes
Details
Time off of 7 days or less auto-approved unless on a holiday; none in first weekRTO of 7 days or less can be auto-approved, provided it doesn't fall on a holiday; no RTO allowed during first week due to orientation
Details
Travel pairs allowed if each has own transportationTravel pairs are allowed, provided each has own transportation and is comfortable with differing schedules
Details
First-time travelers welcome to applyFirst-time travelers are welcome to apply
Support on this unit
Nurse to patient
1:3–1:4<li>Target patient ratio of 1:3-4</li> <li>Day shift schedule, 3x12 hours from 6:45 to 19:15</li> <li>Weekend requirement of every other weekend</lstated in this posting
American Traveler is hiring an RN for a Progressive Care Unit role requiring 2+ years of PCU/stepdown experience and vasoactive drip titration skills.
Details
PCU unit functioning similarly to an ICU step-down with 20 beds and an ADC of 18
Target patient ratio of 1:3-4
Day shift schedule, 3x12 hours from 6:45 to 19:15
Weekend requirement of every other weekend
Floating required as needed to sister ICCU unit
Patient population spans adolescent, adult, and geriatric with diagnoses including post rapid response, respiratory distress, unstable hemodynamics, withdrawal, GI bleeds, and various post-op surgical cases
Pre/post OB patients with complications such as Pitocin administration
Single vasoactive drip per patient on the unit (Cardizem, Nitro, Precedex, Cardene, Levophed, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Neo)
Bedside telemetry monitors with remote backup used for dysrhythmia recognition and treatment
Unit equipped with A-lines, BIPAP, chest tubes, and tracheostomy care, but no ventilators
Uses Pyxis and Epic systems
No block scheduling; schedule created by nurse manager
Requirements
Active RN license (NC or Compact) required
BLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale certifications required
Minimum 2 years of relevant RN experience required
Experience with arterial lines and titrating vasoactive drips required
Experience with conscious sedation, telemetry monitoring, and dysrhythmia interpretation/management required
Experience with IV insulin protocols, blood product administration, and heparin protocols required
Experience with central line, peripheral line, and PICC line care/management required
Experience with chest tube management (Emerson/Pleur-evac) required
Experience with external CPAP/BIPAP, high flow nasal cannula, nasal cannula, and non-invasive airway management required
Tracheostomy management and isolation precautions experience required
Must pass EKG testing prior to start
Previous PERM/PRN/EP employment with Novant Health or New Hanover requires a 12-month wait before applying as a traveler
Additional Information
Responsible for monitoring, recognizing, and treating cardiac dysrhythmias using bedside telemetry with remote backup
Participates in rapid response team activations as needed
Navy, white, or a combination of both scrub colors required
Hospital orientation occurs during the first week, with required attendance for all classes
RTO of 7 days or less can be auto-approved, provided it doesn't fall on a holiday; no RTO allowed during first week due to orientation
Must work 2 of 3 major holidays
First-time travelers are welcome to apply
Local candidates accepted at a reduced rate within 50 miles of the facility
Travel pairs are allowed, provided each has own transportation and is comfortable with differing schedules
Minimum 13-week contract length, with openness to longer assignments
Neighborhoods+Nurses and young professionals most often get pointed to Ardmore and Sherwood Forest as the practical in-town picks; Buena Vista is the stretch neighborhood if the budget allows. Downtown, the Arts District around Trade Street and Liberty Street, and Innovation Quarter put you closest to restaurants, breweries, and the medical/biotech campus. West End and the Holly Avenue Historic District offer wooded, historic character near the core. For quieter, lower-crime suburban living, locals name Pfafftown, King, Tobaccoville, and Rural Hall, with nearby Pine Ridge as a calmer community that still reaches the city.
Nurses and young professionals most often get pointed to Ardmore and Sherwood Forest as the practical in-town picks; Buena Vista is the stretch neighborhood if the budget allows. Downtown, the Arts District around Trade Street and Liberty Street, and Innovation Quarter put you closest to restaurants, breweries, and the medical/biotech campus.
West End and the Holly Avenue Historic District offer wooded, historic character near the core. For quieter, lower-crime suburban living, locals name Pfafftown, King, Tobaccoville, and Rural Hall, with nearby Pine Ridge as a calmer community that still reaches the city.
Getting around+Citywide commute time is about 17.75 minutes, and traffic is described as manageable next to Charlotte or Raleigh. The main hospital and research cluster is Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center beside Innovation Quarter, a medical-biotech hub with restaurants, breweries, and Bailey Park next door. Sources do not name hospital parking rules or bus lines, so the lived pattern is short in-town drives rather than long highway hauls.
Citywide commute time is about 17.75 minutes, and traffic is described as manageable next to Charlotte or Raleigh. The main hospital and research cluster is Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center beside Innovation Quarter, a medical-biotech hub with restaurants, breweries, and Bailey Park next door.
Sources do not name hospital parking rules or bus lines, so the lived pattern is short in-town drives rather than long highway hauls.
Outdoors+Tanglewood Park is the named local flagship. Salem Lake is the go-to for trails, fishing, and paddling; Long Branch Trail handles walking and biking near Innovation Quarter and Bailey Park, which hosts food trucks and outdoor movies. Reynolda's 170-acre estate mixes gardens and grounds worth repeating by season, and Historic Bethabara Park adds another historic green space. Yadkin Valley wineries sit just outside town, and the mountains are roughly 1 to 1.5 hours away.
Tanglewood Park is the named local flagship. Salem Lake is the go-to for trails, fishing, and paddling; Long Branch Trail handles walking and biking near Innovation Quarter and Bailey Park, which hosts food trucks and outdoor movies.
Reynolda's 170-acre estate mixes gardens and grounds worth repeating by season, and Historic Bethabara Park adds another historic green space. Yadkin Valley wineries sit just outside town, and the mountains are roughly 1 to 1.5 hours away.
Winston-Salem - the Twin City, branded City of Arts and Innovation - is a midsize Piedmont city where an $80k-$150k nursing salary stretches further than in Charlotte or Raleigh. Homes typically land in the mid-$200Ks, rents hover around $1,300, and citywide commutes average about 17.75 minutes toward Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Innovation Quarter. Ardmore and Sherwood Forest are the practical in-town bases; Buena Vista costs more; Pfafftown, King, and Rural Hall run quieter and are cited for lower crime. Downtown and Innovation Quarter put restaurant and brewery life next to the hospital cluster. The distinctive draw is culture packed into a small footprint: Old Salem, Reynolda House and its 170-acre gardens, Trade and Liberty Street galleries, Mission Pizza Napoletana, Sweet Potatoes, Mozelle's, Wise Man Brewing, Salem Lake, Tanglewood Park, and a festival calendar that includes Bookmarks, the Carolina Classic Fair, and downtown summer music. Bailey Park adds food trucks and outdoor movies. Tradeoffs: some locals call it boring and tough for making friends; the airport is a known weak spot; mountains take an hour-plus and beaches about four. Nurses who want short drives, lower housing costs, and real arts-and-outdoors life without big-metro chaos tend to land well here.
