RN - Medical ICU

Madison, Wisconsin

You'll care for some of the most complex and critically ill adults in a newly designed Medical ICU at University Hospital. UW Health is an academic medical center.

Posted Sep 25

Shift and hours: 8- or 12-⁠hour shifts · Rotating days and nights, mostly 7:00 am–7:30 pm and 7:00 pm–7:30 am 90% FTE, 8/12-hour rotating day/night shift primarily to be 7:00 am - 7:30 pm and 7:00 pm - 7:30 am
Unit and setting: Medical ICU · Hospital to join our dedicated team in a state-of-the-art 16-bed MICU
License: RN license Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of WI or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact Upon Hire RequiredRN license in Wisconsin, or a license from a nurse licensure compact state, upon hire
Term: Permanent 90% FTE, 8/12-hour rotating day/night shift0.9 FTE

Do you qualify?

License: RN license in Wisconsin, or a license from a nurse licensure compact state, upon hire Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of WI or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact Upon Hire Required Check your license
Certification: Current CPR/BLS certification upon hire Current CPR/BLS Certification Upon Hire Required
Experience: 6 months nursing experience, or current participant in UW Health's Nurse Residency Program

Preferred

Certification: Relevant certification Relevant certification Preferred
Education: BSN Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Preferred
Experience: Relevant RN experience Relevant RN Experience Preferred

What it pays

Against similar roles: Top of Madison staff RN payMadison staff RN postings that state pay run $38/hr to $44/hr, the middle half $40/hr to $40/hr, across 251 postings.
Pay differential: Additional components of compensation include impressive shift differentials - $4/hour evening, $5/hour night and $4.25/hour weekend differential as applicable for hours worked Additional components of compensation include impressive shift differentials - $4/hour evening, $5/hour night and $4.25/hour weekend differential as applicable for hours worked
Extra pay: $4/hour evening, $5/hour night and $4.25/hour weekend differentialsas applicable for hours worked
Bonus: Referral bonus for referring people to open, posted positions The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions

Benefits

BenefitsHealth and dental insurancehealth and dental insurance
BenefitsPaid time offpaid time off
BenefitsRetirement plansretirement plans
BenefitsTwo-week paid parental leavetwo-week paid parental leave
BenefitsAdoption assistanceadoption assistance
BenefitsFull-time benefits for part-time roles at 60% FTE or higherFull time benefits for part time work (for positions 60% FTE and higher).

More benefits (6)

BenefitsTuition benefits eligible from day oneTuition benefits eligibility on day one of employment
BenefitsEmployee Wellbeing Department support for emotional, financial and physical well-beingAccess to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
Full-time benefits for part-time work (60% FTE and higher)
Employee Wellbeing Department resources
Tuition benefits eligibility on day one
Referral bonus opportunity

The role and schedule

Day to day: Drips, pressors, Blakemore tubes, prostacyclin and EKOS therapy Specialized care for adult patients requiring interventions with multiple drips/pressors, Blakemore tubes, Prostacyclin and EKOS system therapies.
Unit size: 16-bed MICU a state-of-the-art 16-bed MICU that will begin to care for patients on C2/5 in Spring 2027
Hours stated: 90% FTE, 8/12-hour rotating day/night shift primarily to be 7:00 am - 7:30 pm and 7:00 pm - 7:30 am with an every other weekend rotation. Holiday rotation required.
Weekends: Every other weekend on rotation with an every other weekend rotation
Holidays: Holiday rotation required Holiday rotation required.
Details: Unit begins caring for patients on C2/5 in Spring 2027 will begin to care for patients on C2/5 in Spring 2027
Details: Acuity-based staffing ratios Acuity based staffing ratios for optimal safety.
Details: Shared governance gives every nurse a voice A strong shared governance structure which assures every nurse has a voice.
Details: Level I trauma center a leading Level I Trauma Center

The workplace

UW Health

Academic Medical Center

4.7 Google rating

Facility profile Employer website

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Your fit

Questions to ask

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On your path

ICU / Critical Care is a specialty you move into. The classic route: base year, then transfer in.

See your route →Check first: Experience ICU, OR and CRNA ask for

Original listing

Posted on UW Health’s careers page.

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Work Schedule

90% FTE, 8/12-hour rotating day/night shift primarily to be 7:00 am - 7:30 pm and 7:00 pm - 7:30 am with an every other weekend rotation. Holiday rotation required. You will work at University Hospital in Madison, WI.

Pay

Additional components of compensation include impressive

shift differentials - $4/hour evening, $5/hour night and $4.25/hour weekend differential as applicable for hours worked

Are you ready to elevate your critical care nursing career in a fast-paced, dynamic environment? Our upcoming newly designed Medical ICU will offer an exciting opportunity to care for some of the most complex and critically ill adult patients at University Hospital - a leading Level I Trauma Center and Wisconsin’s #1 hospital. We are seeking an experienced critical care Registered Nurse (RN) to join our dedicated team in a state-of-the-art 16-bed MICU that will begin to care for patients on C2/5 in Spring 2027.

About the Unit

Diverse patient conditions including sepsis, respiratory failure/ARDS, pulmonary hypertension, liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding and diabetic ketoacidosis. Specialized care for adult patients requiring interventions with multiple drips/pressors, Blakemore tubes, Prostacyclin and EKOS system therapies. Fast-paced environment designed to provide cutting-edge and evidence based critical care in a newly constructed space with advanced technology and resources. Strong interdisciplinary collaboration fostering a supportive and positive work culture where teamwork drives exceptional patient outcomes.

At UW Health, you will have

An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Full time benefits for part time work (for positions 60% FTE and higher). Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance .

Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being. Acuity based staffing ratios for optimal safety . A strong shared governance structure which assures every nurse has a voice.

A place where nursing excellence is recognized and celebrated in our inpatient and outpatient settings through several award programs. Tuition benefits eligibility on day one of employment - UW Health invests in your professional growth as a nurse by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement. The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.

Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) Preferred Work Experience Six (6) months nursing experience or current participant in UW Health’s Nurse Residency Program with successful completion of the Nurse Residency Orientation on unit/similar unit. Required Relevant RN Experience Preferred Licenses & Certifications Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of WI or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact Upon Hire Required Current CPR/BLS Certification Upon Hire Required ACLS within 6 months Required Relevant certification Preferred Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day.

It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. University Hospital in Madison is a Magnet®-designated facility that’s ranked Wisconsin’s #1 hospital and considered one of the nation's leading hospitals, teaching institutions and referral centers. Job Description UW Hospital and Clinics benefits

What's around it?

In Madison, WI

Madison, WIFrom Census ACS 2024.

Living costs about 3% below the US average

Median rent: $1,413/mo
Household income: $78,050/yr, all local households, not nurse pay

Life in Madison, WI

NeighborhoodsRecent grads and young professionals on Reddit often look at East Washington Avenue and blocks right by the Capitol, plus East Side pockets that stay cheaper than the near-east even as they gentrify; Sun Prairie comes up as a cheaper bedroom-community commute. Extra Space’s 2026 roundup flags Hill Farms-University as the in-city budget option (median home $274,000, median rent $708), Marquette for historic charm and lakeside recreation ($298,833 / $1,186), Vilas near UW–Madison ($393,950 / $1,475), and Dudgeon-Monroe as a tree-lined mix of families and young pros with more than a mile and a half of Monroe Street shops ($423,567 / $1,287). Families are frequently pointed toward suburbs Verona, Middleton, and Waunakee.

Recent grads and young professionals on Reddit often look at East Washington Avenue and blocks right by the Capitol, plus East Side pockets that stay cheaper than the near-east even as they gentrify; Sun Prairie comes up as a cheaper bedroom-community commute. Extra Space’s 2026 roundup flags Hill Farms-University as the in-city budget option (median home $274,000, median rent $708), Marquette for historic charm and lakeside recreation ($298,833 / $1,186), Vilas near UW–Madison ($393,950 / $1,475), and Dudgeon-Monroe as a tree-lined mix of families and young pros with more than a mile and a half of Monroe Street shops ($423,567 / $1,287).

Families are frequently pointed toward suburbs Verona, Middleton, and Waunakee.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: reddit.com Source 2: extraspace.com Source 3: facebook.com

Getting aroundU.S. News puts the typical Madison commute at about 18.31 minutes. Metro Transit’s Rapid Route A BRT runs east-west from the Sun Prairie Park and Ride to Junction Road with 15-minute weekday service until 8:00 p.m. and 15-minute Saturday service until 7:00 p.m.; Routes B and F also board along that corridor, so a home near a BRT station can feel closer than the map suggests. Redfin scores transit 35/100 and flags limited, inconsistent buses especially in the suburbs, so most nurses will still want a car. The west side holds about 33,000 residents and more than 23,000 jobs concentrated around University Research Park; UW Hospital and Clinics is the named major healthcare hub. Hospital parking and shift-specific routes are not covered in these sources.

U.S. News puts the typical Madison commute at about 18.31 minutes. Metro Transit’s Rapid Route A BRT runs east-west from the Sun Prairie Park and Ride to Junction Road with 15-minute weekday service until 8:00 p.m. and 15-minute Saturday service until 7:00 p.m.; Routes B and F also board along that corridor, so a home near a BRT station can feel closer than the map suggests.

Redfin scores transit 35/100 and flags limited, inconsistent buses especially in the suburbs, so most nurses will still want a car. The west side holds about 33,000 residents and more than 23,000 jobs concentrated around University Research Park; UW Hospital and Clinics is the named major healthcare hub.

Hospital parking and shift-specific routes are not covered in these sources.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: realestate.usnews.com Source 2: susansuttonhomes.com Source 3: redfin.com Source 4: apartmentguide.com

OutdoorsMadison sits between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona among five area lakes, with 307 parks, a free Henry Vilas Zoo, and more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails including the Capital City State Trail. Named greenspaces include Olbrich Park and Hillington Green Park in Dudgeon-Monroe; residents kayak, fish, boat, and paddleboard the lakes, and state parks sit within about an hour’s drive. Winters shut down much of this, but summers turn the lakes, beer gardens, and trail network into daily life rather than weekend trips.

Madison sits between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona among five area lakes, with 307 parks, a free Henry Vilas Zoo, and more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails including the Capital City State Trail. Named greenspaces include Olbrich Park and Hillington Green Park in Dudgeon-Monroe; residents kayak, fish, boat, and paddleboard the lakes, and state parks sit within about an hour’s drive.

Winters shut down much of this, but summers turn the lakes, beer gardens, and trail network into daily life rather than weekend trips.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: visitmadison.com Source 2: redfin.com Source 3: youtube.com Source 4: apartmentguide.com Source 5: extraspace.com

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Living in Madison

Madison is a mid-size capital and Big Ten town squeezed between Lakes Mendota and Monona, with 307 parks, 200-plus miles of trails, a free Henry Vilas Zoo, and the Dane County Farmers' Market on the Capitol Square. Nurses get UW Hospital and Clinics plus west-side jobs at University Research Park; typical commute is about 18 minutes, but Rapid Route A is the only frequent BRT spine and Transit Score is 35, so most still drive. Young professionals land on the East Side, East Wash, and near the Capitol; Hill Farms-University is the budget in-city option, Dudgeon-Monroe and Vilas cost more near Monroe Street and campus. Food is a genuine draw—The Old Fashioned, Graze, State Street Brats, Olbrich Biergarten, and a thick brewery circuit. Locals are blunt about tradeoffs: winters can run November through March, listings hit about $486k in 2026, diversity is limited, and this is not a big city. If you bike, boat, and can handle a long winter, daily quality of life is the pitch.

AI area guide

Sources

As of 2026Source 1: visitmadison.com Source 2: realestate.usnews.com Source 3: susansuttonhomes.com Source 4: extraspace.com Source 5: redfin.com Source 6: concoursehotel.com Source 7: youtube.com Source 8: thehonestlocal.com

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Do you qualify?

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What it pays

Benefits

The role and schedule

The workplace

Ask Mira

Your fit

Questions to ask

On your path

Original listing

Work Schedule

Pay

About the Unit

At UW Health, you will have

What's around it?

Madison, WIiFrom Census ACS 2024.

Life in Madison, WI

Moving for this role?

Nurses on this role

Nurses on this role

Life in Madison, WI

Moving for this role?

Nurses on this role

Madison, WIFrom Census ACS 2024.