Med/Surg Jobs

Most facilities require 1–2 years of recent Med/Surg or acute care experience, including managing high patient loads, complex medical conditions, and multi-system assessments. Experience with telemetry or step-down increases job options.

Travel Med/Surg RNs typically need an active RN license, BLS, and sometimes ACLS depending on the hospital. Some facilities prefer CMSRN or RN-BC but they are rarely required.

Med/Surg travelers commonly manage post-op, respiratory, cardiac, GI, orthopedic, infection-related, and chronic illness patients requiring frequent assessments and medication adjustments.

Ratios vary widely by state and hospital, but most Med/Surg units staff between 1:4 and 1:6, and occasionally higher depending on acuity and support staff. Travelers should confirm ratios during the interview.

Travel Med/Surg nurses must be comfortable with wound care, IV therapy, telemetry (where required), patient education, post-op monitoring, and managing multiple high-acuity patients simultaneously.

Yes. Floating is common. Med/Surg RNs may float to telemetry, step-down, surgical floors, or rehab units based on competencies. Hospitals typically outline floating expectations before contract acceptance.

Most Med/Surg assignments offer 12-hour day or night shifts, with some facilities providing 3×12, 4×10, or weekend-only schedules. Night shifts usually come with higher pay.

Travel Med/Surg RNs generally earn $2,000 to $3,400 per week, depending on the region, shift type, and seasonal demand. Higher pay is common in California, Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, and East Coast metro areas.

Consistent demand exists in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, California, Arizona, Colorado, and many Midwest health systems, especially during winter surges and high census periods.

Most Med/Surg units use Epic, Cerner, Meditech, Allscripts, or Paragon. Familiarity with common medication administration workflows and charting formats helps shorten orientation time.

Onboarding is usually brief—1–3 days—and includes EMR training, medication safety review, and a unit orientation. Rapid adaptability is expected since Med/Surg is often the busiest unit in the hospital.

Most Med/Surg travelers can start within 2–3 weeks, depending on credentialing, background checks, and any required state licensing. Some rapid-response Med/Surg contracts may start sooner.