Location & Practice Overview

This assignment places the RN inside Sentara Heart Hospital’s Advanced Heart Failure Unit, a 24-bed specialty environment for patients with complex cardiac conditions. The unit sits on the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital campus and combines high-acuity nursing with transplant, mechanical circulatory support, and pulmonary hypertension care.

Facility Sentara Heart Hospital (112-bed cardiac hospital)
Campus Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, VA
Unit Type 24-bed high-acuity cardiac specialty unit
Care Setting Inpatient high-acuity cardiac unit

Responsibilities

  • Assess patients with advanced heart failure and recognize changes in cardiac or hemodynamic status.
  • Interpret telemetry rhythms and identify clinically significant arrhythmias.
  • Provide medication administration and nursing interventions for complex cardiac patients.
  • Monitor patients receiving advanced cardiac therapies and escalate changes according to clinical condition.
  • Support care for patients moving through pre- and post-transplant pathways.
  • Coordinate care with physicians, advanced practice providers, and other members of the interdisciplinary team while documenting assessments and responses.

Qualifications & Requirements

Candidates must meet the following requirements. Prior VAD or transplant experience is not required.

Education
Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or diploma in Nursing
License
Virginia or Compact multi-state RN license in good standing
Experience
Minimum 2 years recent acute-care cardiac hospital RN experience (telemetry, step-down, or critical care)
Certifications
BLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale required
Helpful Background
ICU, heart failure, telemetry, or mechanical circulatory support experience is useful but not required

Compensation & Benefits

This is a temporary travel contract with hourly compensation and no benefits package.

  • Rate: $70.00 per hour
  • Assignment length: 14 weeks
  • Status: Temporary full-time
  • Benefits: Not included with this travel assignment

Schedule & Work Environment

Assignment Length 14 weeks
Shift Day or Night
Employment Type Temporary full-time
Work Setting Onsite inpatient unit with advanced bedside monitoring
Patient Assignment Typically 3–4 patients depending on acuity

Patient Population & Clinical Setting

The unit cares for adults with complex, high-acuity cardiac conditions in a dedicated specialty environment.

Primary Population Patients with advanced or severe heart failure
Transplant Pathway Pre- and post-heart transplant patients
Additional Conditions Pulmonary hypertension
Mechanical Support Patients requiring mechanical circulatory support, including Total Artificial Heart
Acuity & Setting High-acuity cardiac cases on a 24-bed specialty unit

Clinical Focus & Key Services

The clinical core of this role centers on specialized high-acuity cardiac nursing for advanced heart failure and related pathways.

Advanced Heart Failure Management of severe and advanced heart failure
Transplant Pathway Pre- and post-heart transplant cardiac care
Mechanical Circulatory Support Care involving VAD, Total Artificial Heart, and related therapies
Monitoring & Assessment Telemetry, hemodynamic monitoring, and high-acuity cardiac nursing

Role Highlights

Several features distinguish this travel assignment from standard cardiac or telemetry contracts.

  • 24-bed specialty unit focused on advanced heart failure
  • Exposure to pre- and post-heart transplant care and Total Artificial Heart patients
  • Clinical environment that includes mechanical circulatory support such as LVAD/BiVAD
  • Typical assignment of 3–4 patients based on acuity
  • AACN Gold Beacon Award unit; nurses with ICU background may perform hemodynamic-guided IV titration

About Sentara

Sentara Heart Hospital is a 112-bed cardiac facility located on the campus of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk. The heart hospital provides advanced cardiac services including heart failure care, ventricular assist devices, heart transplantation, cardiac surgery, and structural heart services. Sentara Norfolk General is a 525-bed tertiary hospital and home to Hampton Roads’ Level I Adult Trauma Center. Sentara Health operates 12 hospitals across Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.

Heart Hospital 112-bed dedicated cardiac facility
Campus Hospital 525-bed tertiary care facility
Trauma Designation Level I Adult Trauma Center
System 12 hospitals in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

Is VAD experience required for this assignment?
No. Ventricular assist device and transplant experience are not required. The unit provides opportunities for nurses who want to expand skills in these areas.
What type of patients does the Advanced Heart Failure Unit treat?
The unit cares for patients with severe heart failure, pre- and post-heart transplant needs, pulmonary hypertension, Total Artificial Heart, and other forms of mechanical circulatory support.
How many patients does a travel RN typically care for?
Nurses usually manage 3–4 patients, with the number adjusted according to acuity on the 24-bed unit.
What RN certifications are required?
BLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale certification are required in addition to a Virginia or Compact multi-state RN license.
Can nurses with ICU experience use hemodynamic monitoring skills in this role?
Yes. Nurses who have prior ICU experience may titrate intravenous medications based on hemodynamic monitoring.
Does the 14-week travel assignment include benefits?
No. This temporary travel contract does not include benefits; compensation is provided through the hourly rate.

Travel Registered Nurse (RN) - Cardiac Advanced Heart Failure in Norfolk, VA

This 14-week travel RN assignment at Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, places an experienced cardiac nurse on the Advanced Heart Failure Unit. The temporary full-time contract pays $70 per hour and offers day or night shifts with no benefits. The 24-bed high-acuity unit cares for adults with severe heart failure, pre- and post-heart transplant needs, pulmonary hypertension, Total Artificial Heart, and mechanical circulatory support. Nurses typically manage three to four patients and work with advanced bedside and telemetry monitoring. Requirements include at least two years of recent acute-care cardiac hospital experience, a Virginia or Compact multi-state RN license, BLS, ACLS, and NIH Stroke Scale certification. Prior VAD or transplant experience is not required. The unit holds an AACN Gold Beacon Award and operates within Sentara Heart Hospital, a 112-bed cardiac facility on the campus of a 525-bed tertiary hospital that includes the region’s Level I Adult Trauma Center.

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