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.
Perks and Benefits
- Per diem employment with day-shift scheduling
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance (eligibility based on employment status)
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match
- Generous paid time off
- Health savings accounts (HSA); healthcare and dependent flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Continuing education and career development opportunities; CEU participation tracked and supported
- Employee Assistance Program and employee discount program
- Voluntary benefits: pet insurance, legal insurance, accident and critical illness insurance, long-term care, elder and childcare assistance, auto and home insurance
Practice Highlights
- 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
- ICU-level acuity: telemetry monitoring with strip interpretation, neurologically compromised patients, pre- and post-operative orthopedic patients, and combative or psychiatrically impaired patients
- Orientation and competency validation tailored to each specialty unit; additional certifications may be required for specific float assignments
- Nurse serves as principal clinician for total patient care: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation across the full care continuum
- Interdisciplinary collaboration model — nurses initiate and incorporate recommendations from the broader care team and act as consultants in complex cases
- Medication administration responsibilities include IV therapy, blood, and blood products; ongoing MAR verification required
- Patient and family education is a core expectation, including advanced directives counseling and ethics consultation facilitation
- 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
- System-level services include comprehensive stroke care, a cancer center, a Level 1 Trauma Center, and the region's only Level 3 NICU
Qualifications
- Prior ICU experience required
- Active California Registered Nurse license required
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) accepted
- Current American Heart Association BLS and ACLS certification required; must be maintained continuously
- NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification required
- Must successfully complete an EKG competency test within the first 30 days of hire
- Must comply with the facility's Respiratory Fit Testing Protection Policy
- Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to maintain effective working relationships with patients, families, and interdisciplinary colleagues
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities and adapt to shifting patient care demands
About the Community
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.