PCU Nursing
Your PCU Nursing Career.
Progressive care unit (PCU) nursing professionals, also called step-down nurses, are in high demand for local, travel, temp, and per diem opportunities nationwide. CareerStaff Unlimited is proud to offer PCU nursing jobs across the United States, along with career guidance, resources, amazing recruiters, great benefits, and lots more. It’s all part of our mission to help PCU nurses achieve the career of their dreams.
What is PCU Nursing?
A progressive care nurse provides care for patients after they’ve been stabilized in the ICU or other critical care unit. These progressive care unit (PCU) patients are considered to be at high risk and require complex medication and close monitoring. And what they require most “is continuity of care,” as Dr. Pinkesh A. Bhuta aptly puts it.
Because of the nature of their condition, caring for progressive care unit patients traditionally takes place in a hospital, health center, or clinic. Because of Covid-19, the number of patients in intensive care units (ICU) is much higher than before. Therefore, the need for progressive care nurses to treat these patients as they exit critical care is greater than ever before.
For that reason, nurses interested in PCU assignments are in demand pretty much everywhere, with great career options all across the country. You can see a sample of available PCU nursing jobs here.
PCU Nursing F.A.Q
What does a PCU nurse do on a day-to-day basis? A step-down/progressive care nurse is responsible for monitoring a patient’s vital signs, such as heart rate and blood oxygen levels, to help ensure that their condition does not deteriorate. Stepdown/progressive care nurses also provide the patient with any prescribed medications and work with physicians and other clinicians to coordinate care.
Most step-down/progressive care nursing job opportunities are for registered nurses (RNs), and many also require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). To become an RN, a nurse must have graduated from an accredited nursing program and have a current nursing license that’s in good standing with the issuing state.
According to Salary.com, the average PCU nurse salary in the U.S. is $85,796 in 2022. It should be noted, though, that this is the national average. Any given career opportunity for a stepdown/PCU nurse could be more or less than this amount, depending on the location and other considerations.
Your Setting. Your Next PCU Nursing Job.
Take Your Career to New Places with a Travel Nursing Assignment
Nurses who are open to travel jobs can choose from career opportunities across the United States! At CareerStaff, we offer our travelers the chance to work almost anywhere from coast to coast. We also provide great benefits including stipends for housing and travel. Learn more about traveling with CareerStaff here.
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