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Cardiac Stepdown | Registered Nurse

GHR HealthcareRockford, ILTravel
Agency
GHR Healthcare
Location
Rockford, IL
Job type
Travel
Profession
Registered Nurse (RN)
Industry
Nursing & Healthcare
Posted
Oct 14, 2026

Pay breakdown

Hourly
$60.83
Weekly
$2,190
Yearly (full-time)
$113,880
Contract length
13 weeks
Start date
October 26, 2026

This job pays about $60.83/hour — 32% above the median for Registered Nurse (RN) jobs in Illinois ($46.15/hour). The total includes tax-free housing and meal stipends, which staff jobs don't pay, so take-home pay is usually higher than the hourly figure suggests.

Estimated from the weekly pay in the listing, 36 hours a week; yearly = 52 weeks. Median wage: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Registered Nurse (RN) jobs in Illinois right now

  • 1,392 open Registered Nurse (RN) jobs in Illinois from 7 agencies, 144 of them in Rockford.
  • Pay in these listings: $9.66 – $99.07/hour, median $60.83/hour.
  • Typical Registered Nurse (RN) pay in Illinois: $46.15/hour ($95,992/year, BLS).
  • Highest median pay: AHS Staffing ($65.50/hour across 425 jobs).

All Registered Nurse (RN) jobs in Illinois →

Job description

Cardiac Stepdown Registered Nurse (RN) – Travel Nursing Contract in Rockford, Illinois

Explore a rewarding Cardiac Stepdown RN travel nursing job in Rockford, Illinois, providing high-acuity care in an acute intermediate care setting. This 13-week travel nurse assignment is ideal for an experienced Registered Nurse who is confident caring for cardiac, stroke, sepsis, and surgical patients while managing complex therapies and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team.

Located in northern Illinois along the Rock River, Rockford offers a welcoming community with accessible parks, cultural attractions, and convenient connections throughout the Midwest. This Illinois travel nursing opportunity is a great destination for nurses seeking meaningful clinical experience in a vibrant, affordable city.

Travel RN Job Details

  • Specialty: Cardiac Stepdown / Intermediate Care
  • Employment Type: Travel Registered Nurse contract
  • Location: Rockford, Illinois
  • Weekly Estimated Pay: $2,130–$2,250
  • Start Date: October 26, 2026
  • Contract Duration: 13 weeks, ending January 25, 2027
  • Schedule: 12-hour night shifts, 7:00 p.m.–7:30 a.m.
  • Guaranteed Hours: 36 hours per week, typically three 12-hour shifts
  • Unit: 23-bed intermediate care unit with typical nurse-to-patient ratios of 1:3–4
  • Charting: Epic
  • Weekend/Holiday Schedule: Weekend rotation and holiday coverage based on unit needs
  • Call Requirement: None
  • Floating: May float throughout the hospital, excluding the Emergency Department and Obstetrics

Cardiac Stepdown RN Job Requirements

  • Current Registered Nurse license in Illinois, or confirmation that the application process has been initiated
  • At least 1 year of acute-care registered nursing experience; cardiac stepdown, intermediate care, or telemetry experience is strongly preferred
  • Current BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS certifications, as required
  • Experience caring for patients with stroke, cardiac conditions, sepsis, and surgical diagnoses
  • Proficiency with tracheostomy care, BiPAP, CPAP, high-flow oxygen, and related respiratory support
  • Ability to safely titrate intravenous medications, including heparin, nitroglycerin, diltiazem, norepinephrine, nicardipine, and dexmedetomidine
  • Strong assessment, communication, prioritization, and clinical decision-making skills
  • Ability to interpret cardiac rhythms and collaborate effectively with monitor technicians and the care team

Travel Nurse Responsibilities

  • Deliver comprehensive nursing care to adult patients in a 23-bed cardiac stepdown and intermediate care unit
  • Assess, monitor, and manage patients with cardiac, stroke, sepsis, and surgical conditions
  • Titrate prescribed intravenous medications and closely monitor patients for therapeutic response and adverse effects
  • Provide tracheostomy care and support patients receiving CPAP, BiPAP, high-flow oxygen, and other respiratory therapies
  • Interpret cardiac rhythms, identify changes in patient status, and promptly escalate concerns
  • Coordinate care with providers, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, monitor technicians, and other members of the interdisciplinary team
  • Document assessments, interventions, and patient outcomes accurately in Epic
  • Support safe patient transitions, clinical education, and evidence-based care throughout the assignment

Apply now for this Cardiac Stepdown RN travel nursing opportunity in Rockford, Illinois, and join a team providing high-quality intermediate care.

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.

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