Travel Nurse RN - CVICU - $2,534 per week

First Connect Health is seeking a travel nurse RN CVICU for a travel nursing job in Madison, Wisconsin.

Job Description & Requirements

• Specialty: CVICU
• Discipline: RN
• Start Date: 10/12/2026
• Duration: 13 weeks
• 36 hours per week
• Shift: 12 hours, days, nights
• Employment Type: Travel

CARDIOTHORACIC ICU (CVICU) RN CONTRACT – UW HEALTH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

First Connect Health has an immediate 13-week travel contract opening for a highly skilled Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CVICU / CVCT ICU) Registered Nurse (RN) in Madison, Wisconsin. Operating within the 27-bed state-of-the-art CVICU at UW Health University Hospital—Wisconsin's #1 Magnet®-designated academic medical center and Level I Trauma Center—this position offers a 3x12 schedule with rotating day and night shifts (07:00 - 19:30 & 19:00 - 07:30). If you are an experienced critical care nurse skilled in fresh open-heart recovery, mechanical circulatory support, and CRRT looking to earn $2,534/week with max tax-free stipends, this premier academic assignment is built for you!

PRE-CALCULATED PAY PACKAGE

• Weekly Gross: $2,534.00
• Weekly Tax-Free Stipend: $1,526.00
• Hourly W2 Rate: $28.00/hr (36 regular hours)
• Overtime Rate: $42.00/hr

SHIFT & POSITION DETAILS

• Schedule: 3x12-Hour rotating shifts (Days: 07:00 - 19:30 / Nights: 19:00 - 07:30). Block scheduling is not offered.
• Guaranteed Hours: 36 regular hours guaranteed weekly.
• On-Call Requirements:NO CALL REQUIRED!
• Weekend & Holiday Coverage: Every other weekend rotation and shared holiday coverage.
• Unit Acuity & Staffing: 27 private ICU rooms with a daily census of ~26. Typical patient ratios are 1:1 to 1:2 (up to 1:3 for step-down/general acuity overflow). Each shift is staffed with 2 Care Team Leaders (Charge RNs), 1 dedicated Rapid Response RN, 16 direct-care RNs, and extensive CNA/Unit Clerk support.
• Patient Population & Caseload: Direct post-operative recovery and critical management of cardiothoracic surgery, heart and lung transplants, CABG, valve repairs/replacements, aortic root/aneurysm and dissection repairs, acute cardiogenic shock, STEMI/NSTEMI, and complex dysrhythmias.
• Advanced Technology & Devices: High proficiency required with NxStage CRRT/CVVH, HeartMate 3 (HM3) LVAD/RVAD, Impella, Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP), ECMO, Zoll Thermoguard, Swan-Ganz/PA catheters, and epicardial pacing wires.
• EMR System: Epic (recent charting experience required, within past 12 months preferred).
• Floating Scope: Float to like acuity units as clinically required.

REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUBMISSION

• Experience: Minimum 2 years of dedicated acute care CVICU experience completed within the last 3 years. Level I Trauma and prior travel experience are required.
• Licensure: Active Wisconsin RN License or Compact/NLC Multistate License in hand.
• Certifications Required: * American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • AHA Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• Pre-Start Telemetry Exam: Must pass facility cardiac rhythm exam prior to clearance:
  • 100% accuracy on lethal rhythms (V-Fib, V-Tach, Asystole).
  • Zero incorrect answers on 3rd-degree heart blocks.
  • Minimum overall passing score of 80%.
• Radius Rule: Permanent tax residence must be outside 50 miles from the hospital (locals not accepted).

✨ WORK WITH FIRST CONNECT HEALTH Avoid administrative processing delays on broad public job boards. Apply directly to this posting to lock in your file with our specialized critical care recruitment team. We guarantee 100% upfront financial transparency, immediate document checklist mapping, and fast-track your profile straight to the Vaya account manager for prioritized presentation!

Click "Apply Now" to complete your screening and secure your October 12th start date!

Location Details: Assignment is located at UW Health University Hospital, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792 (Unit: Nursing - Cardiothoracic Surgery B4/5 - RN). ⏱️ Assignment Timeline: 13-week contract running from October 12, 2026, through January 11, 2027. Local Exclusion: 50-mile permanent residence radius strictly enforced. Submittal Rules & Compliance: Active WI or Compact RN license must be attached with submission. Maximum of two (2) Requested Time Off (RTO) requests allowed at initial submission. Please remove references from candidate resume packets prior to submittal per facility Tier 3 travel compliance guidelines. Parking: On-site permit required via UW Transportation or park-and-ride options.

About First Connect Health

Benefits

• Sick pay
• 401k retirement plan
• Weekly pay
• Referral bonus