PACU | Registered Nurse

PACU Registered Nurse (RN) Travel Nurse Job – San Francisco, California

Apply for a PACU travel nursing assignment in San Francisco, California, caring for adolescent and adult patients in a high-acuity post-anesthesia care unit. This 13-week travel contract offers experienced critical-care nurses exposure to Phase I and Phase II recovery, airway management, anesthesia recovery, pain management, and a broad range of surgical specialties.

Join a supportive surgical team near Golden Gate Park and experience the energy, culture, and scenic beauty of San Francisco while advancing your career in post-anesthesia care nursing.

PACU Travel Nurse Job Details

• Specialty: Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Registered Nurse
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Assignment Type: Travel nursing contract
• Start Date: November 17, 2026
• Duration: 13 weeks, through February 16, 2027
• Weekly Estimated Pay: $2,400–$2,520
• Schedule: Day shifts, Monday through Friday
• Shift Duration: 10-hour shifts, typically 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
• Shifts Per Week: 4
• Hours Per Week: 40
• Patient Population: Adolescents and adults
• Daily Census: Approximately 12 patients
• Scheduling Note: Flexibility for occasional later start times and assignment to other affiliated medical-center locations may be required.

PACU Registered Nurse Job Requirements

• Active California Registered Nurse (RN) license in hand
• BSN required
• At least 2 years of recent critical-care nursing experience within the past 5 years
• At least 1 year of inpatient PACU experience
• Current AHA BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications
• Demonstrated knowledge of airway management, anesthesia recovery, and pain management
• Prior travel nursing experience within the past 12 months
• Current COVID-19 vaccination and booster required
• Ability to complete required pre-start and annual learning modules
• Epic experience preferred
• Prior teaching-hospital experience preferred
• Previous charge nurse experience preferred
• CPAN or CCRN certification preferred

PACU Registered Nurse Responsibilities

• Deliver safe, individualized nursing care to patients recovering from anesthesia and surgical procedures.
• Monitor patients through Phase I PACU and Phase II recovery, recognizing and responding to changes in condition.
• Perform comprehensive nursing assessments, circulation checks, and post-operative monitoring.
• Manage airways and support patients with anesthesia recovery, pain control, nerve blocks, spinal procedures, and monitored anesthesia care.
• Care for patients following general, orthopedic, ophthalmology, podiatry, cardiac catheterization, and other operative procedures.
• Provide discharge instructions and coordinate safe transitions to the next level of care.
• Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesia providers, respiratory services, pharmacy, radiology, rapid response teams, and other interdisciplinary partners.
• Adapt to changing department and patient-care needs while maintaining high standards of patient safety, communication, and clinical excellence.

Apply now for this PACU Registered Nurse travel contract in San Francisco, California, and join a high-acuity post-anesthesia care team.

Benefits

401K with Matching, Healthcare, Dental and Vision

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity across our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.