Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California is seeking a per diem Registered Nurse to join its Float Pool Med-Surg team. This role places you across a high-acuity acute care campus that anchors the Desert Care Network — a three-hospital system serving the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin regions of Southern California. The network operates a Level 1 Trauma Center, a comprehensive stroke program, a cancer center, and the only Level 3 NICU in the Coachella Valley, giving float pool nurses exposure to a genuinely diverse and complex patient population. Day-shift scheduling and a per diem structure make this an ideal fit for experienced RNs seeking flexibility without sacrificing clinical depth.
Perks and Benefits
- Per diem employment with day-shift scheduling
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance (eligibility determined by 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 support built into performance expectations
- 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 across Med-Surg and progressive care units, with potential deployment to ICU, NICU, ED, Labor and Delivery, and Pediatrics — unit-specific orientation and competency validation provided for each specialty area
- Telemetry-capable units: nurses are expected to perform continuous cardiac monitoring and EKG strip interpretation (EKG competency test required within first 30 days of hire)
- Patient population includes neurologically compromised patients, pre- and post-operative orthopedic patients, and behaviorally or psychologically complex patients
- Nurses manage acuity-based patient assignments, adapting caseload and priorities in real time based on unit census and patient needs
- Medication administration responsibilities include IV therapy, blood and blood product transfusions, and MAR verification
- Interdisciplinary care model: nurses initiate and incorporate recommendations from the full care team and serve as consultants in complex cases
- Network-level services include Level 1 Trauma, comprehensive stroke care, a cancer center, and a Level 3 NICU — the only one in the Coachella Valley
- Three-hospital system (Desert Regional Medical Center – Palm Springs; JFK Memorial Hospital – Indio; Hi-Desert Medical Center – Joshua Tree) with a regional referral catchment spanning the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin
- Ongoing CEU participation expected: performance benchmarks at 10–24 CEUs annually (Level 2) or 25+ CEUs / 10 CEUs plus 3 college credits (Level 3)
Qualifications
- Current California Registered Nurse (RN) license required
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) required
- Current American Heart Association BLS and ACLS certification required; must be maintained continuously
- NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) certification required
- Progressive Care Unit (PCU) RN experience required
- Must successfully complete an EKG competency test within the first 30 days of hire
- Must comply with Respiratory Fit Testing Protection Policy
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing patient assignments, and communicate effectively across all levels of the care team
About the Community
Palm Springs sits at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains in the Coachella Valley — one of Southern California's most distinctive desert communities, known for its year-round sunshine, mid-century modern architecture, world-class golf, and a vibrant arts and dining scene. The region offers a low cost of living relative to coastal Southern California, with easy access to Los Angeles (approximately two hours west), Joshua Tree National Park, and the Salton Sea. Outdoor recreation ranges from hiking and cycling to skiing at nearby Mountain High, making the Coachella Valley a compelling destination for clinicians who want an active lifestyle paired with a strong urban amenity base.