RN Surgery
Company : Catholic Health Initiatives
Location : Bakersfield, CA, 93301
Job Type : Full Time
Salary : 43.59-75.64 HOUR
Date Posted : 8 January 2026
Job Summary and Responsibilities
The registered nurse is responsible to take primary responsibility to assess plan implement and evaluate the nursing care of each assigned patient. Provide direct patient care. Supervise the activities of nursing staff members. Anticipate patient’s needs. Follow-up on all care related activities and assure all physician orders are accurately transcribed and carried out in a timely manner. Coordinate the plan of care. Conduct patient teaching specific to disease entity and home management. Actively participate in assuring care continuum. Collaborate with other nursing and ancillary services to assure seamless communication and uninterrupted patient care. Model leadership behaviors. Foster a spirit of collaboration and teamwork. Mentor peers and colleagues.
Job Requirements
Minimum
- CA RN license
- BLS & ACLS from the American Heart Association
- 1 year of operating room/ surgical experience. If operational conditions permit, training a candidate without the required experience may be considered.
Please be advised that this location requires quarterly American Heart Association (AHA) Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) competency certification post-hire. This ongoing competency is required through resources internal to the facility; outside RQI competency resources are not acceptable for CommonSpirit Health compliance requirements.
Where You'll WorkFounded by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Hospitals have a history of caring for our community that goes back more than 100 years. We provide a broad range of medical and surgical services including minimally invasive and outpatient options. Our family of services includes the area's only inpatient oncology unit, the Orthopedic, Spine, and Hand Center, Family Birth Center, the Lactation Support Center and retail store, and many others.
Mercy Hospital Downtown is a 194-bed facility located in downtown Bakersfield. Mercy Hospital Southwest is a 78-bed facility and the only hospital located in the rapidly growing area west of Highway 99. Mercy Hospital is a member of Dignity Health and is a trusted community partner, serving residents of Bakersfield and Kern County with quality, compassionate care since 1910. Learn more here at https://www.dignityhealth.org/central-california/locations/mercy-bakersfield.
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Frequently asked questions
Bakersfield's healthcare demands, especially in surgical nursing, often require RNs to adapt to a diverse patient base and resource availability. The city’s growing population and local medical facilities like Mercy Hospital influence the pace and scope of surgical care compared to metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Beyond the essential CA RN license and ACLS/BLS certifications, surgical nurses in Kern County benefit from quarterly American Heart Association resuscitation quality improvement (RQI) certifications. This ensures compliance with local healthcare standards and maintains high competency in emergency surgical care.
Exceptional perioperative assessment, precise implementation of physician orders, and strong leadership in coordinating multidisciplinary teams distinguish an RN Surgery. Additionally, expertise in patient education tailored to surgical recovery and home care management enhances both patient outcomes and professional value.
Progression often leads to roles such as perioperative clinical nurse specialist, surgical nurse manager, or educator. Growth depends on accumulating specialized operating room experience, mastering patient care coordination, and demonstrating leadership in high-acuity surgical environments.
While core duties like patient assessment and care coordination remain, surgical subspecialties require adapting to unique protocols—orthopedics emphasizes mobility support, oncology focuses on immunocompromised care, and plastic surgery demands meticulous post-op monitoring, all shaping the RN’s daily workflow.
Catholic Health Initiatives fosters a collaborative culture emphasizing leadership and mentorship among surgical nurses. The organization supports ongoing competency through internal RQI certification programs, ensuring nurses stay current with resuscitation standards while delivering compassionate, community-focused care.
RN Surgery professionals at Catholic Health Initiatives engage deeply in coordinating multidisciplinary care, mentoring peers, and participating in continuous quality improvement. Their roles are vital in maintaining seamless communication across departments to uphold surgical excellence within this trusted healthcare network.
Registered nurses specializing in surgery in Bakersfield typically earn between $85,000 and $105,000 annually. Factors affecting pay include years of surgical experience, certifications like ACLS, and the complexity of surgical cases handled, with Catholic Health Initiatives offering competitive compensation aligned with regional standards.