Registered Nurse (RN) - Emergency Room, San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA

Apply

Overview

Rady Children’s nurses serve as local and global leaders in shaping how care is delivered to patients and families throughout our organization and in the communities we serve. Behind each nurse and their leader is the commitment to learn more, improve outcomes and empower individuals to seek innovative solutions. We are transforming the role of the caregiver, and in that transformation, we are partners in advancing the quality of care. Every day, we look for new pathways. It is a journey of excellence.

It’s not just caring about children that makes our nursing staff so special. It’s the magic! Our dedication to specialized training and sensitivity is perfected by caring for children 100% of the time. Rady Children’s is designed, equipped and staffed just for kids. As the region’s only pediatric trauma center, we care for children with the most severe medical emergencies to those with mild illnesses.

Rady Children's offers competitive salaries, robust benefits, generous paid time off, retirement savings with contribution match, employee recognition, Team Rady events and celebrations, along with other great perks. Join us in sunny San Diego!

Job Type: Full-time, Part-time & Per diem
Level: Entry-level & Mid-level

Success Profile

What makes a successful Triage Nurse at Rady Children’s Hospital? Check out the traits we’re looking for and see if you have the right mix.

Adaptable
Collaborative
Compassionate
Courageous
Positive
Quick-thinking

Culture

Consistently excellent in providing the highest level of care for our patients.
Ensuring that our nursing team receives support, rewards and career advancement opportunities.
Committed to improving outcomes and empowering individuals to seek innovative solutions.
Collaborative, respectful and dedicated to care, research and teaching.

Career Path

Rady Children’s Hospital offers many career paths to support your immediate and future success.

CN I
CN II
CN III

Supervisor
Manager
Case Manager

Nurse Educator
Case Manager
Care Coordinator

It’s amazing to see these children go from weak to vibrant… The nurses who chose to come here are unique because they’re comfortable with these patients and are eager to give it their all… I’ve never worked with a more passionate group of nurses. Each and every one of them truly loves this patient population. They’re so dedicated and do such a great job.
Cheryle Pillow, Clinical Nurse III, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Rewards

We offer a robust Total Rewards Package in order to help our employees achieve and maintain overall physical, emotional and financial well-being for themselves and their families

Health Plan

Medical, Dental, Vision
403(b) Retirement Plan

Match that increases with years of service
Tuition Reimbursement

Up to $10,000 per year, paid time off for seminars
Life and Disability Insurance
Competitive Salaries

Annual merit increases, longevity increases, success sharing, paid leave cash-out program
Awards & Recognition

Milestone awards, CARES recognition

Responsibilities

Job ID: 19401
Date posted: 08/25/2026
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Night
Department: Emergency Care Center

The ED is a Level I Trauma Center that consists of 42 beds, which includes two trauma rooms. We are the only pediatric emergency department within the San Diego region. We have a big team that values strong collaboration and communication across disciplines and is composed of Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician’s Assistants, RNs, LVNs, Hospital Unit Clerks, Patient Care Assistants, Behavioral Health Assistants, Social Workers, Respiratory Therapists, Child Life Specialists, and Behavioral Specialists. We are a busy department, which cares for over 300+ patients each day, with a census of 103,000 patients last year, and a growing population of behavioral health patients that exceeded 4700 patients in the previous 12 months. We see and care for patients with a variety of needs including physical illnesses, injuries, mental health, and trauma. We are looking for individuals who are compassionate, accountable, respectful, and provide excellent service to patients, families, and staff through collaboration with our team.

The ED RN is a team member who functions as part of our Emergency Department team caring for our medical and behavioral health patients. RNs collaborate with our care team of physicians, LVNS, PCAs, BHAs, respiratory therapists, social workers, child life and more to provide safe care for our patients. Each day within the department is different and you be assigned to work in several different zones within one shift, caring for patients with all different types of diagnoses, conditions and needs. The patient to nurse ratio is 4:1 max, some higher acuity areas being 3:1 or 2:1. RN should be flexible, adaptable and comfortable changing hats and responsibilities to assist with the needs of the department at any time during their shift. They should be strong communicators, team players and comfortable with de-escalation techniques and managing challenging behaviors.

Important Notes:

Orientations in the Emergency Department usually run 10-12 weeks for a new to peds ED specialty. You will be assigned one to two preceptors during your orientation and Shift times during orientation are dependent on the shift times of the preceptor, whose schedule you will follow. There are also opportunities to participate in didactic classes through our unit-based education days (UBED) each month. These classes are taught by our clinical experts, our ED educators, and CN3 RN staff and focus on common pediatric ED topics and disease processes.

Scheduling: All our scheduling/ shifts are determined by the guidelines set forth in the Collective Bargaining agreement (CBA) every four years. This means everything is based on seniority, so typically in a unit like ours, new staff members go to night shift after orientation(1900-07am). We have 7 different (12 hour) shift start times: 4am 7am, 9am, 12noon, 2pm, 4pm, 7pm. We layer on staff as our volumes increase throughout the day, and then decrease into early morning. Our scheduling guidelines were developed by our professional practice committee (a shared leadership committee led by bedside staff) based on the CBA and ensure everything is fair and standardized. Weekend requirements are 4 weekend shifts per 4-week schedule per CBA guidelines. Night shift (1900 and 1600) weekend days are Friday and Saturday

JOB SUMMARY:

The Clinical Nurse II collaborates with physicians and multidisciplinary team members. Responsible for independently applying the nursing process through the assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of pediatric patient care. Resolves patient problems and needs by applying multidisciplinary team strategies. Selects and coordinates the appropriate care, taking into consideration the age, developmental level and size of the patient. Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration, storage procedures and controlled substance regulations. Should be able to identify own limitations and seek resources as needed. Maintains a collaborative relationship among health care teams by communicating information and participating in team problem-solving methods.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Associate's Degree in Nursing

1 year of experience

Current California RN License

BLS for Healthcare Providers, issued by American Heart Association

PALS issued by American Heart Association - within 3 months of hire

ENPC (within 6 months of hire if no previous Peds ER experience; Only required once)

TNCC and ACLS (within one year of hire)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's Degree in Nursing

3 years of experience

Professional nursing certification

Pediatric nursing experience in a comparable, high-acuity department

Bilingual English/Spanish

Location: Hospital - Acute Care Pavilion

The current salary range for this position is $64.39 to 92.09

A candidate’s placement in the range will be determined based on the terms and conditions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Rady Children’s Hospital is committed to being externally competitive and internally equitable. We demonstrate this commitment by reviewing market data to remain competitive within the nonprofit, healthcare sector. This posting will remain open from the “date posted” until the hiring manager has determined there is a sufficient applicant pool or until the position is filled.

Apply