PICU | Registered Nurse | 13-Week Travel RN Contract – Durham, NC

PICU Registered Nurse (RN) – Travel Nursing Contract in Durham, North Carolina

Make a meaningful impact as a PICU travel nurse caring for critically ill children in Durham, North Carolina. This 13-week travel nursing assignment offers experienced Registered Nurses the opportunity to work with complex pediatric and congenital cardiac patients in a collaborative, high-acuity Pediatric Intensive Care Unit supported by comprehensive interdisciplinary services. Durham is part of the vibrant Research Triangle and is known for its welcoming community, excellent dining, cultural attractions, greenways, and convenient access to the broader North Carolina region.

PICU Travel Nurse Job Details

• Assignment Type: 13-week travel nursing contract
• Location: Durham, North Carolina
• Start Date: October 19, 2026
• End Date: January 18, 2027
• Weekly Estimated Pay: $2,160–$2,270
• Shift: Day shifts, 7:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
• Schedule: Three 12-hour shifts per week; four 12-hour shifts may also be considered
• Hours: 36 hours per week for the three-shift schedule
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
• Patient Ratio: 1:1
• Patient Population: Neonates, infants, children, and adolescents
• Unit Profile: 24-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with an average daily census of approximately 24 patients
• Orientation: 36 hours; orientations are scheduled biweekly
• Floating: May be required based on unit needs

PICU Registered Nurse Job Requirements

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in North Carolina or a compact state, in hand at the time of submission
• At least 1 year of recent PICU or pediatric critical care nursing experience
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Current Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification
• Strong pediatric dosage calculation and critical care assessment skills
• Experience caring for patients with complex congenital heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure is highly preferred
• Experience with ventilator management, arterial and central lines, hemodynamic monitoring, chest tubes, vasoactive medications, and continuous sedation
• Familiarity with ECMO, ventricular assist devices, continuous renal replacement therapy, or post-cardiac surgery care is preferred
• Previous charge experience and Epic charting experience are preferred
• Current influenza vaccination is required; exemptions and declinations are not accepted
• One supervisory reference from the past year is required

PICU Registered Nurse Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive, evidence-based nursing care to critically ill neonates, infants, children, and adolescents
• Manage patients with complex congenital heart disease, post-cardiac surgery needs, cardiac arrhythmias, and pre- or post-transplant heart failure
• Monitor and interpret cardiac rhythms, arterial blood gases, intracranial pressure, central venous pressure, and other hemodynamic parameters
• Care for ventilated patients and manage high-flow nasal cannula, BiPAP/CPAP, tracheostomies, and acute airways
• Administer and titrate IV vasopressors, antiarrhythmics, continuous sedation, blood products, and other critical medications according to protocol
• Maintain and troubleshoot arterial lines, central lines, PICC lines, ports, chest tubes, gastric tubes, urinary catheters, and other specialized equipment
• Support patients receiving ECMO, VAD therapy, CRRT, and other advanced life-sustaining therapies as trained and assigned
• Recognize changes in patient condition and collaborate with physicians, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, rapid response teams, and other members of the care team
• Provide family-centered education, emotional support, and clear communication throughout the patient’s care
• Accurately document assessments, interventions, medications, and outcomes in the electronic medical record

Apply now for this PICU Registered Nurse travel contract and join a collaborative pediatric critical care team in Durham, North Carolina.

Benefits

401K with Matching, Healthcare, Dental and Vision

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity across our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.