Risevoic
ICU RN
Company : Catholic Health Initiatives
Location : Santa Cruz, CA, 95065
Job Type : Full Time
Salary : 75.68-96.75 HOUR
Date Posted : 5 January 2026
Job Summary and Responsibilities
Up to 10k Relocation offered for new hires!
Per policy current employees are not eligible.
**1 Year Minimum in ICU to qualify**
The Medical/Surgery ICU RN is responsible for supporting efforts to improve clinical and service excellence of patient care provided. RN s must be able to identify and apply care skills appropriate to the specific patient age groups served. The RN will participate in the achievement of service targets and process goals.
ALL REGISTERED NURSES will render professional nursing care to patients support medical care as directed by physicians. This position requires the full understanding and active participation in fulfilling the Mission of Dignity Health/Dominican Hospital. It is expected that the employee will demonstrate behavior consistent with the Core Values. The RN shall support Dignity Health/Dominican Hospital's strategic plan and the goals and direction of the quality improvement/process improvement activities and patient satisfaction.
Job Requirements
**1 Year Minimum in ICU to qualify**
- One (1) year medical/surgical ICU experience or equivalent critical care experience
- Proficient in English verbal and written communication skills
- Computer skills required.
- Associate’s Degree ASN or Nursing Diploma, required
- Current and active CA RN license
- Current BLS certification, requried from American Heart Association
- Current ACLS certification, required from American Heart Association
- Current NIHSS Stroke certification, required
Preferred:
- One (1) year CVICU experience
- One (1) year neuroscience ICU experience
- BSN, preferred
Dominican Hospital (a member of Dignity Health) is a 222-bed facility that offers a wide range of services to residents of California’s Central Coast. With 24/7 emergency care, comprehensive care in cardiac, orthopedics, oncology, women’s and children’s services, we continue to lead the region in medical innovation and excellence in healthcare.
Comprehensive Care
Dominican offers emergency services and is a Certified Stroke Center and Chest Pain Center. Dominican’s services include the only comprehensive Cancer Center in Santa Cruz County, a Total Joint Replacement program, and advanced neurological and endoscopic services. Dominican regularly receives ‘A’ grades for hospital safety from Leapfrog Group, and has received national recognition for superior patient safety, cardiac care, and stroke treatment from Healthgrades, a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.
As Santa Cruz County’s heart attack (STEMI) receiving center, Dominican Hospital provides cutting edge cardiac care. The hospital’s heart attack treatment times consistently beat the national average, and the hospital offers two cardiac catheterization labs available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Groundbreaking cardiac procedures at Dominican include the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure, which allows for heart valve replacement without opening a patient’s chest.
Dominican Hospital has forged significant partnerships with area hospitals to bring exceptional care to Santa Cruz County. The hospital offers a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) through a partnership with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. Neurosurgery at Dominican is also offered through a partnership with Stanford Health Care.
One Community. One Mission. One California
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Frequently asked questions
Santa Cruz’s ICU RN positions, particularly at Catholic Health Initiatives, reflect moderate competition due to the area's specialized healthcare needs. Nurses with critical care experience and certifications like ACLS and NIHSS have an edge, given the hospital’s advanced cardiac and neurological services.
In Santa Cruz, ICU RNs often hold current California RN licenses alongside BLS, ACLS, and NIHSS stroke certifications. These credentials are crucial for employment at facilities like Dominican Hospital, which emphasize cardiac and stroke care excellence.
ICU RNs in Santa Cruz generally earn between $95,000 and $125,000 annually, influenced by hospital prestige and experience. This range is competitive but may be slightly lower than larger metro areas like Los Angeles or San Francisco due to cost-of-living variations.
ICU RNs at Catholic Health Initiatives manage high-acuity patients requiring rapid assessment and intervention. Balancing complex cardiac and neurological cases demands sharp critical thinking, proficiency in advanced monitoring, and effective communication within multidisciplinary teams.
Dominican Hospital prefers ICU RNs with at least one year of critical care experience before specializing in Neuro or Cardiac ICUs. New graduates often start in general ICU roles, building foundational skills before advancing to focused units.
Catholic Health Initiatives offers generous sign-on and relocation bonuses, a robust quality improvement culture, and partnerships with Stanford Health Care. These factors combine to create an enriching work environment for ICU RNs seeking growth and advanced clinical exposure.
ICU RNs at Catholic Health Initiatives play a vital role within a network recognized for superior stroke and cardiac care. They collaborate closely with specialized centers, ensuring patients benefit from cutting-edge treatments like TAVR and rapid STEMI response protocols.
The Santa Cruz area sees consistent demand for travel and PRN ICU RNs due to fluctuating patient volumes and specialized unit needs. This trend helps hospitals maintain optimal staffing flexibility, especially in highly specialized ICUs like cardiac and neuroscience.
Experienced ICU RNs demonstrate proficiency in managing complex patient conditions, advanced cardiac monitoring, and effective multidisciplinary collaboration. New grads are encouraged to develop these skills through fellowships or mentorships to transition smoothly into high-acuity settings.
Part-time ICU RN roles at Catholic Health Initiatives exist but are limited due to high patient care demands. When available, they provide flexible scheduling tailored to accommodate personal commitments while maintaining critical care standards.