<p>Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California is recruiting an experienced ICU Registered Nurse for its Float Pool on a per diem, day-shift basis. This role spans the full breadth of the Desert Care Network — a three-hospital system anchored by a Level 1 Trauma Center and the only Level 3 NICU in the Coachella Valley — giving float nurses exposure to some of the highest-acuity critical care in the region. Candidates with strong ICU foundations who want flexible scheduling and a varied clinical environment will find this position particularly well-suited to their goals.</p>
<h3>Perks and Benefits</h3> <ul> <li>Per diem employment with day-shift scheduling</li> <li>Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance (eligibility based on employment status)</li> <li>401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match</li> <li>Generous paid time off</li> <li>Health savings accounts (HSA); healthcare and dependent flexible spending accounts (FSA)</li> <li>Continuing education and career development opportunities; CEU participation tracked and supported</li> <li>Employee Assistance Program and employee discount program</li> <li>Voluntary benefits: pet insurance, legal insurance, accident and critical illness insurance, long-term care, elder and childcare assistance, auto and home insurance</li> </ul>
<h3>Practice Highlights</h3> <ul> <li>Float Pool assignment covering ICU as the primary specialty unit, with additional float coverage across NICU, ER, Labor and Delivery, and Pediatrics as competencies are established</li> <li>ICU-level acuity: telemetry monitoring with strip interpretation, neurologically compromised patients, pre- and post-operative orthopedic patients, and combative or psychiatrically impaired patients</li> <li>Orientation and competency validation tailored to each specialty unit; additional certifications may be required for specific float assignments</li> <li>Nurse serves as principal clinician for total patient care: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation across the full care continuum</li> <li>Interdisciplinary collaboration model — nurses initiate and incorporate recommendations from the broader care team and act as consultants in complex cases</li> <li>Medication administration responsibilities include IV therapy, blood, and blood products; ongoing MAR verification required</li> <li>Patient and family education is a core expectation, including advanced directives counseling and ethics consultation facilitation</li> <li>Desert Care Network encompasses Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs), JFK Memorial Hospital (Indio), and Hi-Desert Medical Center (Joshua Tree), serving the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin</li> <li>System-level services include comprehensive stroke care, a cancer center, a Level 1 Trauma Center, and the region's only Level 3 NICU</li> </ul>
<h3>Qualifications</h3> <ul> <li>Prior ICU experience required</li> <li>Active California Registered Nurse license required</li> <li>Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) accepted</li> <li>Current American Heart Association BLS and ACLS certification required; must be maintained continuously</li> <li>NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification required</li> <li>Must successfully complete an EKG competency test within the first 30 days of hire</li> <li>Must comply with the facility's Respiratory Fit Testing Protection Policy</li> <li>Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to maintain effective working relationships with patients, families, and interdisciplinary colleagues</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities and adapt to shifting patient care demands</li> </ul>
<h3>About the Community</h3> <p>Palm Springs sits at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains in the Coachella Valley, offering a desert lifestyle defined by year-round sunshine, world-class golf, hiking, and a vibrant arts and dining scene. The region is roughly two hours from both Los Angeles and San Diego, providing easy access to major metropolitan amenities while maintaining a distinct, resort-town character. Cost of living relative to coastal Southern California is notably more favorable, and the area's outdoor recreation — from Joshua Tree National Park to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway — draws clinicians who value an active lifestyle outside of work.</p>